From park bench to lab bench - What kind of future are we designing? | Ruha Benjamin | TEDxBaltimore

From Park Bench to Lab Bench: What kind of future are we designing? - Ruha challenges biases inherent to modern scientific research.
Ruha is on the faculty at Princeton University. Her work examines the relationship between innovation & equity, science & citizenship, health & justice.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@katherandefy]

This is one of the best TED talks ever. Technology is so central in our lives that it deserves this kind of serious consideration. Thank you, Dr. Benjamin.

[@OOEarth]

I absolutely love Dr. Benjamin's ideas, voice, and passion! Thank you! Such a beautiful vibe. The world needs more voices like hers. ❤

[@dust9theninthpoet]

The metaphor of the park bench and how it relates to the lab bench was a memorable illustration of how design directly affects the experience of a physical object. In the case of scientific research, the design of the study and which cultural perspectives are included and excluded have a direct affect on how the research is perceived and applied.

[@jaceemiliano3047]

Instablaster...

[@ZaraNajjar14]

Greatest Professor I Ever Had!!!

[@nesanetabegaze9855]

Thank you for this brilliant talk, and for providing new language to talk about social change as it relates to science and technology.

[@uzielfo]

Ótima recomendação, Maria Luiza!

[@mewho8057]

In addition to the hostile defensive architecture, I wish she'd had time to discuss the designs that have been created with providing shelter in mind. Like the difference between installing a blue light in a bathroom or a sharps disposal bin with an addiction hotline number on it, seeing something designed with the obvious goal of treating people as 'people' rather than just as addicts or vagrants or some other form of 'badness' that needs to be forced out of this space can be really eye-opening.

[@bicyclist2]

This needs to be seen by many millions of people. Please keep speaking out. Thank you.

[@ofonwilliam]

8 Years down the line, yet this is as true as the EARTH itself.

[@astradaniels]

This is one of the most powerful Ted Talks I've viewed. This is awesome.

[@michaelanthonygoodman]

Seriously, really great! Sharing widely!

[@aliciacarroll4149]

Powerful

[@KatherineEllington]

Deep, thoughtful and powerful!

[@chrispope5230]

This is frightening. We really need to reverse this trend.
I do wish there was a transcript to help me remember. (I have some cognitive deficits from neurologic Lyme Disease.)

[@derrickgriffines9050]

Super thoughtful

[@danielyemane4355]

Old clesh nothing is feee instead of saying we all brithers of humanity. The desire to save the species

[@nc8485]

about the egg doner -- didn't she decide to donate her eggs from the beginning? And the impulse testing ---Wouldn't it be efficient to do a study on those already incarcerated, because we know they've already committed a crime.........I'm sorry Ruha Benjamin, you are basing your truths in opinions.

[@PPVos-sg4ey]

Re: the egg donor, have you heard of informed consent?
Re: those incarcerated, how many people who commit financial fraud end up incarcerated? Yet they've still committed crimes.

[@arkaniist]

how did she start this off with examples of hostile architecture specifically meant to target homeless people and end with an 'inspirational' picture of......... a circular bench around a tree??? sis that is still an example of hostile architecture, what the... what a weird way to counter your own message. 'instead of being hostile and unwelcoming, let's be... hostile and unwelcoming except in a cool circle uwu'

[@Dylan-zm3ht]

How is the last image hostile? Hostile to the tree?

[@rickblack1452]

Should use different strategy in highlighting power points. Just zero in on race base algorithms in artificial intelligence instead of the lengthy psychological concepts and theorems of racism

[@ryanramos3269]

Ed Talk lol

[@chrstsm]

An assumption on the bench armrests. Unless you've spoken to the person(s) that designed the bench, made the bench, or ordered the bench in this way, your "pretty sure" is a presumed bias which, is a form of discrimination. The overwhelming bias and lack of critical thinking here is stunning within this propaganda speech of 2015.

[@to8368]

Are you calling the whole speech a "propaganda" or just referring to the park benches? If you watched the video beyond the introduction (e.g., around 8 minutes), it's clear that she is not talking about intention. Instead, she's talking about EFFECTS that are discriminatory. Also, I was aware of the intention of one of the benches against homeless people. It's not difficult to find those discussions on the Internet.