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"The most important part of hosting a TEDx event is motivation... giving back to your community in an honest, sincere, selfless and non ego-driven way. TEDx or

"The most important part of hosting a TEDx event is motivation... giving back to your community in an honest, sincere, selfless and non ego-driven way. TEDx organizers care deeply about their community and the world around them in an authentic way." "We repeatedly discover in India TEDx events ... students hosting a TEDx events as part of a campus festival." So, TEDx deeply cares about the community and its events are about giving back, selflessly. However, those damn students can't be allowed to imitate us because, well, why exactly? Have they not warmed enough hands?

zaidf 14y ago
While they would have done well to add another line or two of explanation, I think when you get down to it, you will find a decent argument against allowing this. Immediately, I can think about how the mere nature of festivals would make it difficult to comply with prior rules or make it easier to compromise them. For example, any festival has sponsorship guidelines; I think it is fair to say that most festivals cannot be trusted to observe a different set of guidelines just for the TEDx event. Now, may be you have a problem with other rules(such as sponsors not speaking) but I think TED can make a compelling case for the role of individual rules in establishing them as a trusted, quality brand.
- politician 14y ago
  I don't have a problem with the other rules which seem like reasonably standard brand protection. However, the subtle anti-community message that the prohibition against student-lead participation conveys is contrary to the overt pro-community messages communicated by the rest of the letter. Although it might be as you say that these student events aren't run by students so much as for students by festival operators. In which case, I'd tend to agree with you.
  - intended 14y ago
    Student fests here are a big thing, and their branding easily can out shadow the TedX event itself. TedX would then be just a side show, and addition to the original event. Its an issue of co-branding, and not being part of the ethos of TedX, i.e. giving back to the community. It would be just another college event.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
statictype 14y ago
However, those damn students can't be allowed to imitate us They are certainly allowed to imitate them... just as long as they don't try to use the TEDx brand to promote it. How is this any different from making your own click-wheel mp3 player and calling it IPod?
- derleth 14y ago
  > How is this any different from making your own click-wheel mp3 player and calling it IPod? Yeah. If you want to do that, at least go to China.
piyush_soni 14y ago
Exactly! Given the high illiteracy rate in India (unfortunately), the only major chunks of population who will be interested in these kind of events will be students (mainly Engineering students). This rule sounds a little stupid to not to allow them to host a TEDx event, which might otherwise act as a big motivational factor for them to do something good for the country and the world. Don't understand their 'giving back' policy so clearly.
- intended 14y ago
  If you read the wording, it says don't make TedX part of a festival. Which is understandable, college fairs are big things here, and are definitely not about giving back to the community, but more about showing what you can do. Its the good kind of self promotion and pageant. TedX would only be a side show and its goals and principles would be completely lost/overwritten by the Fair. (Take any of you IIT fests/IIM fests or even your Xaviers college and so on)
- kamaal 14y ago
  Not Exactly! Students need to be told true stories. Not make believe ones. False inspiration is useless. There have been numerous instances in India where people some one like Ankit Fadia has mesmerized students with novelty windows tricks. And there are many cases, where some one from the alumni visits a engineering college and brags about how he is a manager in just 4-5 years, and how all programmers are under achieving losers. Such talks scare away students from pursuing technically intensive careers and perpetuates same attitudes when they get to their jobs. They continuously undermine/underpay technical jobs and reward managerial jobs. The net result is misdirected and manipulated students. Sometimes guys who are really good, totally determine to never get into technical roles. This has led to a huge shortage good engineers in India.
- jclos 14y ago
  I don't think they have anything against students hosting TEDx, just against students hosting TEDx without respecting the rules.
Navarr 14y ago
I believe what they're restricting is it's use WITHIN another event. as part of a campus festival They might be fine with students hosting the events, but TEDx shouldn't be a subheading as part of some bigger school event.

zaidf 14y ago

While they would have done well to add another line or two of explanation, I think when you get down to it, you will find a decent argument against allowing this. Immediately, I can think about how the mere nature of festivals would make it difficult to comply with prior rules or make it easier to compromise them. For example, any festival has sponsorship guidelines; I think it is fair to say that most festivals cannot be trusted to observe a different set of guidelines just for the TEDx event. Now, may be you have a problem with other rules(such as sponsors not speaking) but I think TED can make a compelling case for the role of individual rules in establishing them as a trusted, quality brand.

politician 14y ago
I don't have a problem with the other rules which seem like reasonably standard brand protection. However, the subtle anti-community message that the prohibition against student-lead participation conveys is contrary to the overt pro-community messages communicated by the rest of the letter. Although it might be as you say that these student events aren't run by students so much as for students by festival operators. In which case, I'd tend to agree with you.
- intended 14y ago
  Student fests here are a big thing, and their branding easily can out shadow the TedX event itself. TedX would then be just a side show, and addition to the original event. Its an issue of co-branding, and not being part of the ethos of TedX, i.e. giving back to the community. It would be just another college event.
  - deleted 14y ago
    [deleted]

statictype 14y ago

However, those damn students can't be allowed to imitate us They are certainly allowed to imitate them... just as long as they don't try to use the TEDx brand to promote it. How is this any different from making your own click-wheel mp3 player and calling it IPod?

derleth 14y ago
> How is this any different from making your own click-wheel mp3 player and calling it IPod? Yeah. If you want to do that, at least go to China.

piyush_soni 14y ago

Exactly! Given the high illiteracy rate in India (unfortunately), the only major chunks of population who will be interested in these kind of events will be students (mainly Engineering students). This rule sounds a little stupid to not to allow them to host a TEDx event, which might otherwise act as a big motivational factor for them to do something good for the country and the world. Don't understand their 'giving back' policy so clearly.

intended 14y ago
If you read the wording, it says don't make TedX part of a festival. Which is understandable, college fairs are big things here, and are definitely not about giving back to the community, but more about showing what you can do. Its the good kind of self promotion and pageant. TedX would only be a side show and its goals and principles would be completely lost/overwritten by the Fair. (Take any of you IIT fests/IIM fests or even your Xaviers college and so on)
kamaal 14y ago
Not Exactly! Students need to be told true stories. Not make believe ones. False inspiration is useless. There have been numerous instances in India where people some one like Ankit Fadia has mesmerized students with novelty windows tricks. And there are many cases, where some one from the alumni visits a engineering college and brags about how he is a manager in just 4-5 years, and how all programmers are under achieving losers. Such talks scare away students from pursuing technically intensive careers and perpetuates same attitudes when they get to their jobs. They continuously undermine/underpay technical jobs and reward managerial jobs. The net result is misdirected and manipulated students. Sometimes guys who are really good, totally determine to never get into technical roles. This has led to a huge shortage good engineers in India.
jclos 14y ago
I don't think they have anything against students hosting TEDx, just against students hosting TEDx without respecting the rules.

Navarr 14y ago

I believe what they're restricting is it's use WITHIN another event. as part of a campus festival They might be fine with students hosting the events, but TEDx shouldn't be a subheading as part of some bigger school event.