Sam Richards TED Talk Response

Sam Richards’ TED Talk, “A radical experiment in empathy” connected to what was discussed in fishbowl today. Richards used visuals in his presentation some with just one word this made for a significant slide. He drew attention to what was projecting behind him and allowed it to connect his ideas and reinforce his point. Richards spoke with his hands and moved across the stage when he wanted to emphasize a point that he was making. Richards created experiments for the audience that solidified his main point.

                I take away from this presentation a new understanding of the world. As we discussed in class perspective is vital in achieving empathy. Richards used an experiment that put the audience in the shoes of an Arabic person. This experiment helped to put the people in a new light and change their perspective. In the blog someone brought up history books and their swayed perspective. I believe that empathy and understanding begin during education. Students learn mostly of how the United States was and is the hero and it is everyone else that is the enemy. This is relevant in education because education begins to teach students from a young age to not be empathetic. Not only do school systems fight empathy, but as Ken Robinson says they also kill creativity. Empathy and creativity are both right brained skills that need to be taught and enhanced. Empathy connects to the world because of perspective. If the world had a basic sense of empathy for each other maybe it would create more understanding. Understanding in the coming age will be more essential to the world than fact. I believe that Pink would agree with this statement. Richards experiment that put the audience in the shoes of the people that the United States considered enemies should be used on the world. We may not need to sympathize with the world, but it is important to empathize with the world.