Is global sustainability possible in our society? | Jon Alexander | TEDxUCL
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 14 ม.ค. 2015
- This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. What are we doing to ourselves when we tell ourselves constantly - through the medium of ever-more pervasive advertising - that we are Consumers? And what would it look like to put all the creativity that currently goes into that, into involving people in society as Citizens?
Jon spent a decade working at big name ad agencies, on some of the world's biggest brands, all the while asking deeper and deeper questions about the role of his industry in society. His conclusions will shock and inspire you.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
I felt inspired and more motivated just by listening to you. In 2013 I attempted a year of 'not buying anything new' (excluding food & hygiene stuff) and managed until mid-August. 2015 and I am trying again. It's a great battle of self will versus constant messaging - but also great to have my own 'excuse' to not be tempted and not to go into a shop!
Great Job 👏😊
This is by far, one of the best Ted talks I have watched. He did a great thing by explaining the importance of how the meanings of words become one of the greatest barriers when dealing with the idea of actually living in an environmentally minded way.
An amazing and thought provoking talk. We really need to put our heads together to accelerate our transformation as a global community, which probably starts with a hard look at ourselves.
Think Individual.
Develop global.
Jon - great job. Delivered with fantastic passion. And I love the quote at the end. It is so important to understand the stories we unconsciously live by, and then consciously choose the stories we wish to live by.
Great speech, get that man an undershirt.
Its because of the climate change
Before something can be consumed it must be produced. Stop thinking like consumers and start thinking like producers.
Society, individuals, need to take control of who we are. We need to write our own story- retell reframe, remake.We are not consumers, we are better than that.The people get what the people want...not want what they get. Take control
That was amazing I would love to live in a city like that imagine human beings. had more time to express themselves anything could be possible good stuff hope it will come true one day
I want to stretch this even broader. I am completely behind the unity idea behind the EU, but if i have to watch my brothers and sister in the other countries being on the losing end of this 'unity', i don't think this kind of 'equality' is what we had in mind. All of us just being flattened with the mallet of sameness. "Ohh, you didn't survive that? Too bad for you!" What are we doing?! Does economy really trump everything? There is not even room for expressing uniqueness, difference and individuality in European countries anymore.
Let's not even start talking about the horrendous ag policies that totally destroy local and regional food cultures of any country that joins. Can we not celebrate *diversity*, for god's sake!! Fantastic countries with ancient agricultural traditions that will now litterally be forced straight into *our* narrow, large scale, 21's century idea of agriculture, People already living many more times more sustainably than us, guaranteed to lose every bit of their unique soul within a single generation. Like we have. Are profits really the only darn measure in life? How did the shift happen from seeing our neighbors as allies to seeing them purely as positive or negative business partners only. It is driving us appart, instead of bringing us together.
I personally see myself as the advertiser of my sustainable values. I trumpet it everywhere i go. I grow food, buy as much local or sustainable as possible, homecook and i shut off all advertising, including dumping the TV 20 years ago. I'll make up my own mind, thank you very much. If i want something, i'll look up the reviews. This has gone too far. My last counted average was 15 advertising impressions per day. The conscious ones, yes. If i could wear blinders, i would. Something else. I never buy anything i have seen advertised. ;) Mostly the things disfiguring our bus stops.
I totally agree with your idea of influencing others by our own behavior and advertising is easier to defend against if you're consciously viewing it then inputting your personal opinions with regard to responsible spending.
Thanks for your words of wisdom
Great stuff - yes let's create being sustainability !!
Great points being addressed here.
Hello, great talk, puts mind to work a lot.
I have a lot of similar ideas to John, do you have an email or a way to get in touch with him? Id apreciatte it.
Thanks and congratulations.
great man!
Another question is "who?" has any disposable income left to consume with? I use to, in 1990s, be able to afford some new things each month, but not ever since graduating college and started working for the US government. My government pay checks are slashed in half by deductions for health insurance, tax, life insurance, and the minimum retirement contributions, while I am pressured and made to feel guilty for not contributing to the combined federal campaign to support charities. On pay day, every dime I take home is already owed for monthly payments on student loan, auto insurance, rent, utilities. I have not been able to afford a new car in over 15 years due to having had only 2 kids. If I want new clothing that do not come from a thrift store, I have to use a credit card. Most months I have to charge my food. I graduated just in time, because my co-workers who are 10 years younger will never be able to afford a family. I see more and more poor families moving into the neighborhood on government subsidies who are living a higher life style than myself and my working childless neighbors. Nobody appears to be spending anything on upkeep of the housing.
Be Ren sounds like you pushed yourself into less -consuming. Who told us we needed a college degree to get a job in order to live 'properly' in the first place? & More importantly, Who believed it?
Being without anything is the greatest freedom one can know. If I were back in your shoes, as I once was just 5 short years ago, I would embrace it to the fullest. 💕✨🙏
Live in your Light, don't dim it.
Having a stable partnership and having a family is one of the most valuable aims to achieve in life. At the same time the family is one of the most powerful opponents of consumerism.
The time you take to build and care for your relationships is lost to earning money, to consume, to raise GDP, to raise share holder incomes. That‘s why consumer societies are essentially enemies of the family, that‘s why public funding for raising children in families is kept as low as possible, that‘s why instead whole day child care in institutions is promoted. The stress of lacking fulfilling relationships fosters consumption as a substitute. That‘s why being and consuming as a single is the ultimate effect of consumer societies.
Getting aware of that and challenging it in all possible ways is one of the corner stones of true sustainability.
You and your family, live long and prosper 🙏
Getting most Americans to stop wasting fuel with pointless idling is a daunting task. They seem more likely to conserve water than oil, but water is at least partly renewable. And population growth is the thing that drives growing consumption more than anything.
Population growth is mostly happening because of better healthcare so that less people die early , compared to before. You can't possibly be against that. Because countries are getting lifted out of 3rd world environments, they start to consume more, but you can't take their development away from them. First world countries (including, maybe especially the US) should set a positive example to developing countries, but these same first world countries are in that consumerism deepest and need to make the biggest change.
@@tmfilmproductionshd7470 I honestly think that people should start embracing death earlier instead of later. ohh and bring on active suicide help
@@k.nielsen5589 You mean death by climate change? Possibly. As for suicide help, that would be interesting... for the near future I can't see a political and social support for that idea.
@@tmfilmproductionshd7470 Well no not by climate change. but i think we should take this issue very serious. and we should start thinking of not keeping people alive that is over 50-60 years old. and the west society needs to stop pampering there kids.. it should actually be so the kids start taking responsibilities early and adults gets retirement earlier.. in my opinion our society has been screwed on completely backwards. due to capitalism and don't want to let new people "young people" get a bite of the cake. honestly that is adulthood suicide that parents have been performing on there kids. i should know i am a man baby in my thirties, by societies definition. and i would love to have access to active suicide help so i could stop wasting earth ressources.
Brilliant...
First
Every idea for sustainability is a good idea and is transitional ......but it's being completely negated by all the millions of people who are doing the jobs that are harming the planet, all desperately wanting to hang on to their damn jobs at any cost!!! .......It absolutely MUST be made financially worthwhile for people to start sharing the jobs we NEED people to do and working LESS. You certainly can't make them all unemployed and expect them to happily exist on something like a UBI or benefits while the rest have to carry on working 40 hours or more a week. There is no valid argument against it...we have to get people sharing the jobs we NEED people to do and working LESS.
sweat
very yes
why not get he right to consumer to decise
H
Good talk with a lot of truth. But in order to develop sustainability, we must first have a sustainable population. Second, we will have to find a way to eliminate greed for ones self, family, community and country. Is brain washing really a possible alternative? I’m pessimistic.
One word. Islam
The Story of the Pharoahs and Grain is a consumer society! Is this a boy scout in need of a shower?
Do you hear the California BS coming out of this guy's mouth ?
No. I hear a guy who needs a glass of water.
I do not agree with everything this speaker is saying.