HomeTed Talk Discussion Series

TED Talks With Group Discussion

2022 Series

December

Do schools kill creativity?

Back in 2006, Sir Ken Robinson posed this question to the TED audience -- and it touched a nerve. And why should creativity be a focus at all? Creativity expert Robinson challenged the way we educate our children, championing a radical rethink of how our school systems cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.

Our host, Anna Meadows, chose this talk because Robinson is a good speaker, very funny, but serious about his premise – and looks forward to a discussion.

Join us for another “TED Talks Penn’s Village,” in which program participants view a TED Talk together and then discuss it with the help of a social host who will stimulate and guide conversation. TED Talks (Technology, Entertainment, Design) are presentations from around the world in which people with a passion for a subject share that love with their audiences.

November

Since their emergence over 200,000 years ago, modern humans have established communities all over the planet. But they didn't do it alone.

Whatever corner of the globe you find humans in today, you're likely to find another species as well: dogs. So how did one of our oldest rivals, the wolf, evolve into man's best friend?

During this TED Talk, David Ian Howe traces the history of humanity's first domesticated animal. Our host and dog expert Patricia Nemirovsky Alsina will add her own take!

October

Ghost stories reveal much more than the ghouls and spirits that haunt them.

Settle in for a spooky delight as theater educator Coya Paz Brownrigg lays out three types of bone-chilling tales and exhumes the grave truths they hold about longing, meaning and the cultural value of eerie encounters.

Host Donna Murphy shared ghost stories from Philadelphia and beyond as we discuss the importance and meaning of these scary tales.

Grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte, settle in front of the warm glow of your computer monitor, and listen to the stories as we enjoy the spooky season!

September

This month we enjoyed an entertaining TED talk by Anne Lamott, author of many bestselling books, both fiction and nonfiction, including the classic writer’s manual, Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life.

Early in the talk, Anne tells us “there’s so little truth in the popular culture.” Her truths will likely resonate with many of us (“you cannot run alongside your grown children with sunscreen and Chapstick”). Anne’s humor is universally relatable. Although she delivered this talk pre-Covid, it is a wonderful reminder of how we can (may?) approach the paradoxes of life.

August

In this TEDx Talk presented by Hunter College, Penn’s Village Member and Hunter College High School alumna Judith Sachs shows us how the art of dance can become a vital part of the business of creative aging.

Judith started her professional life as an actor and dancer in the 1960s, then switched gears to author healthcare books and direct copy for pharmaceutical websites at several different ad agencies. When she was laid off at 65, with one hip replacement done and another coming, she decided to return to the world of dance, but in a different role.

When Judith worked her body back to its natural moving state, she wanted to offer the same possibilities to others. She was trained as a Dance for PD® teacher in the techniques developed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson’s Group, but felt that she wanted to take a slightly different direction. Her program, ANYONE CAN MOVE®, serves those with movement restrictions or cognitive impairment, whether they are on their feet, in chairs, wheelchairs or walkers. Judith is a member of the Lifetime Arts Teaching Artist Roster.

June

In an engaging and personal talk -- with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks -- human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America's justice system in this TED Talk, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country's black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives.

May

Let's End Ageism

In commemoration of Older Americans Month, this month’s TED Talk featured a presentation by author and activist Ashton Applewhite, entitled “Let’s End Ageism.”

Applewhite recently received the Maggie Kuhn Award for her visionary leadership and advocacy in combating ageism and is the author of “This Chair Rocks.” Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination directed toward people on the basis of age. Older adults are often portrayed on TV as doddering fogeys or burdens on society – reinforcing negative stereotypes.

April

The Power of Vulnerability

Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity.

In Penn’s Village’s quest to “connect, engage, and thrive,” member Maggie Schramm will facilitate the discussion on this very timely topic.

You can watch the TED Talk here, videos of the discussion are available to our Members below.

March

February

In this talk, hosted by Mark Raymond, we discussed psychiatrist Robert Waldinger's 75-year-old study on adult development and the three important lessons learned as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

January

In this first session, Peter Schoenbach, a Penn’s Village member and professor at the Curtis Institute of Music, will lead the discussion of Tilson Thomas’ presentation, in which he traces the development of classical music through the development of written notation, the record, and the re-mix.