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It depends entirely on the content; if there's no meaningful content, the entire point is, as you've pointed out, a waste. Worse, if TED inspires people to get

It depends entirely on the content; if there's no meaningful content, the entire point is, as you've pointed out, a waste. Worse, if TED inspires people to get involved with pseudoscience causes, then it's actively harmful to it's own purpose. The stark reality is that you cannot possibly continue to generate new amazing videos about the latest breakthroughs year after year, conference after conference. There just isn't enough content. There just aren't enough breakthroughs, aren't enough new amazing things. Sooner or later you'll run out ...and then you turn into google-X; tech startups pitching their ideas, and the odd art/performance piece thrown in.

andr 13y ago
"Everything has already been invented." Less than 1500 people have spoken at TED over the last 28 years, so I think it's a bit early to say we've ran out of people with stuff to say. Plus, TEDx events give stage to topics of local importance, too.
- craigyk 13y ago
  He is saying it's a rate problem. Not that there aren't new exciting discoveries or projects.
  - sliverstorm 13y ago
    To go with your point & change the numbers a bit, at 1500 talks over 28 years, that's 50 talks/year. Are we really turning out 50 ground-breaking, layman-accessible, presentation-suitable inspirational discoveries every year?
    - pavs 13y ago
      No one claimed 100% of every TED talks are about groundbreaking stuff and all of them are things that have happened in that particular year. Not to mention, more specifically TEDx is more about local issues, not necessarily global.
SkyMarshal 13y ago
>The stark reality is that you cannot possibly continue to generate new amazing videos about the latest breakthroughs year after year, conference after conference. There just isn't enough content. This is not necessarily true. Some like Ray Kurzweil argue the rate of innovation is increasing. Others like Peter Thiel believe the rate of true innovation is decreasing. But hardly a settled question.
- Guvante 13y ago
  He is referring to TED talks innovative things. Many innovations are impossible to wrap up in a nice way, since doing so would delude why it is an innovation. Check out what happens when the maintstream talks about the latest cancer cure for instance.

andr 13y ago

"Everything has already been invented." Less than 1500 people have spoken at TED over the last 28 years, so I think it's a bit early to say we've ran out of people with stuff to say. Plus, TEDx events give stage to topics of local importance, too.

craigyk 13y ago
He is saying it's a rate problem. Not that there aren't new exciting discoveries or projects.
- sliverstorm 13y ago
  To go with your point & change the numbers a bit, at 1500 talks over 28 years, that's 50 talks/year. Are we really turning out 50 ground-breaking, layman-accessible, presentation-suitable inspirational discoveries every year?
  - pavs 13y ago
    No one claimed 100% of every TED talks are about groundbreaking stuff and all of them are things that have happened in that particular year. Not to mention, more specifically TEDx is more about local issues, not necessarily global.

SkyMarshal 13y ago

>The stark reality is that you cannot possibly continue to generate new amazing videos about the latest breakthroughs year after year, conference after conference. There just isn't enough content. This is not necessarily true. Some like Ray Kurzweil argue the rate of innovation is increasing. Others like Peter Thiel believe the rate of true innovation is decreasing. But hardly a settled question.

Guvante 13y ago
He is referring to TED talks innovative things. Many innovations are impossible to wrap up in a nice way, since doing so would delude why it is an innovation. Check out what happens when the maintstream talks about the latest cancer cure for instance.