Tech

10 most barf-worthy quotes from TED2014

by Stephen Hui on March 24th, 2014 at 11:49 AM
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      TED lovers, rejoice. You can relive the magic of TED2014 through out-of-context quotes.

      Local web developer Matt Hemsing has collected inspirational quotes from the Vancouver conference on the Tumblr blog TED Quotes 2014.

      Here's a selection of 10 feel-good TED2014 quotes that will make the cynics among us want to hurl.

       

      1. Isabel Allende (novelist)

      TED Conference

      “Society decides when we get old. But the spirit never ages.”

       

      2. Elizabeth Gilbert (writer)

      TED Conference

      “Home is whatever in this world you love more than you love yourself.”

       

      3. Seth Godin (marketer and author)

      TED Conference

      “We need to care enough to connect, to put ourselves at emotional risk and play one note worth hearing.”

       

      4. Andrew Solomon (writer)

      TED Conference

      “I tend to find the ecstasy hidden in ordinary joys because I did not expect those joys to be ordinary to me.”

       

      5. Amanda Burden (urban planner)

      TED Conference

      “A successful city is like a fabulous party – people stay because they’re having a great time.”

       

      6. Ken Robinson (author and educator)

      TED Conference

      “Change what you are doing; change your world. And if enough people do that, we can change the world.”

       

      7. Joi Ito (relentless mind)

      TED Conference

      “Education is what people do to you, and learning is what you do to yourself.”

       

      8. Sarah Lewis (firefly specialist)

      TED Conference

      “Mastery is in constantly wanting to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.”

       

      9. Ben Saunders (Arctic explorer)

      TED Conference

      “Happiness is not a finish line, and if we can’t feel content amid the mess and the striving, we might never feel it.”

       

      10. Jason Webley (musician)

      TED Conference

      “If we aren’t actively in love with the miracle of our existence, what good is any of the other stuff?”

      Comments

      22 Comments

      CanNurse

      Mar 24, 2014 at 12:30pm

      Seriously Stephen? These were the ones you found "cringe-worthy"? Taken out of context & all... Pointless, shallow piece.

      Moose

      Mar 24, 2014 at 12:55pm

      Still waiting to read something cringeworthy... is that it? I hate bad TED talks as much as the next guy, but these are terrible examples.

      Jason Day

      Mar 24, 2014 at 1:29pm

      Leave it for Stephen to criticize something positive. There are a thousand other worse things to focus your energy on. "Barf"? Really? Another hacky "click bait" headline from the straight. Nobody is surprised.

      Yes TED is elitest and yes I could never afford a ticket to attend.. But that's not what it's about. These people have succeeded to points in their respective fields -- earning a stage. Talking in coffee shops about how you're going to save the world is great.. but at the end of the day.. these are the people that hold the power, influence to turn ideas into reality. Vast, immediate changes! Let's be glad they're doing it.

      Adrian Mack

      Mar 24, 2014 at 1:29pm

      No, these are pretty fucking cringe-worthy

      Nicole Li

      Mar 24, 2014 at 1:48pm

      Dear The Straight,

      Buzzfeed? Way to shoot for the stars! You've really outdone yourself this time. In true Vancouver fashion, let's all s**t on something positive!

      It's not like you ever had anything to lose. When you write for a paper where the last 10 pages are escort advertisements.. you might want to reevaluate your career choices.

      Sincerely,
      Nicole

      MD

      Mar 24, 2014 at 1:54pm

      How are these barf-worthy? Or are they simply barf-worthy for the cynics? Cause if I hated life, yeah, these would drive me to puke. But I don’t.

      Tina

      Mar 24, 2014 at 2:04pm

      I don't see what's wrong with Stephen posting this as comments that "will make the cynics among us want to hurl." Note that he said "cynics." I agree in any case-there are so many politically-correct, fluffy catchphrases being thrown around these days (which stifle real dialogue and understanding) that it makes me want to hurl sometimes too. Simply saying "we should love one another and get along" isn't necessarily getting to the root of the problem of WHY people don't love one another, or why different people (and ethnic/religious/etc. groups)sometimes have tension and misunderstandings.

      JF

      Mar 24, 2014 at 4:11pm

      Stephen, you need to make the change in your spirit and that can only happen when change becomes your spirit.

      You're welcome.

      TED talk for cynics.

      Mar 24, 2014 at 4:18pm

      "If there is one thing worth doing with your life,
      let it be organ donation."

      bela the bug

      Mar 24, 2014 at 5:03pm

      If I was a TEDster, a dark and rooty finger wagger....I might give that finger a wee sniff. Oh FAKKKKK!!! I've discovered The Primal Essence.

      Now that's barf worthy. Kind of like a crusted on face shot forgotten in the gutter and bilge of a bubble gum shooters hangover.