T - 3 Days
I am currently three days away from delivering my TED Talk. While my topic has remained the same over the last 4 or so months, the main challenge that I've been faced with in the last couple weeks is to compile the data that I had collected into a coherent and tangible explanation accompanied by my own action plan. When I started my research in September, my scope of desensitization was extremely broad and I found myself drawing connections to so many different possible avenues through which I could have proceeded with my TED Talk. Early on I knew that I wanted to talk about empathy within this context of my overarching topic - heavily inspired by a lack of empathy that I have noticed in my peers and even myself in recent years. However, in the last month or so, I found that the research I was collecting was starting to become more narrow in its theme and this is activism through social media. This theme connected well to my initial idea of empathy and I was compelled to present the idea of desensitization through the lens of how we can and should choose to partake in empathetic action through social media activism.
I found myself struggling a great deal with how to best structure my information but I eventually decided on separating my presentation into five sections. My first sections focuses on the idea that, while my topic 'the danger of desensitization' sounds quite menacing, the world is actually getting much better. I compiled some of the benefits of desensitization such as greater knowledge about the world and access to technology. I framed these in such a way to communicate the idea that with our increased access to knowledge and technology, we are the generation with the tools to create unprecedented positive global change. In my second section, I decided to delve into the reason why we don't enact this change to the extent that we could be; desensitization. While our devices can be catalysts for change, they are also numbing agents that have desensitized us the events of the world and our capacity to play a role within them.
'Lack of Empathetic Action' is the heading for my third section, under which I discuss the effects of desensitization in an otherwise extremely capable generation. I then go on to discuss what I believe (through research) to be the main cause of desensitization which is simply overexposure to negatively saturated world news. To conclude my TED Talk, I plan to discuss what I would like to change through my presentation of three steps that I think we, as Canadian youth, have the ability to take in order to live out more empathetic lives, both digitally and in reality.
Throughout the entirety of my TED Talk I included statistics and studies from professionals covering related topics in order to help support and further form my opinions. I find that as I approach the delivery of this project, which has been months in the making, I am both confident and nervous. I knew that this topic was one I was deeply interested in pursuing and I feel satisfied with the research I conducted. Yet, I worry about how it will be perceived by my audience and my classmates. As I was constructing my slides and finalizing my script, I attempted to insert what I thought would be relatable humour - e.g. the world record egg - so that even if my topic doesn't necessarily connect with someone, they can still be engaged with it, or rather with me.
At the start of this project, there were multiple goals that I had set for myself. I had written a list of 5 questions to guide my learning and I feel that through my research I was able to successfully compose an answer to each of them.
However, I wasn't able to meet all of my goals due to having to narrow my focus as time progressed. At first I had said that I wanted to conduct first hand research to collect information regarding desensitization in my peers. However, as my topic became more specific in terms of social media activism, I struggled to think of questions that I could ask that would give me conclusive results. Instead I was able to find lots of statistics and studies done by professionals in the field and I decided to use this information to back my opinion. I had also indicated that I wanted to make an infographic to communicate my message of desensitization and empathetic action, but I have since decided that carefully curated slides will be more effective and engaging in the delivery of my TED Talk.
While I find myself nervously anticipating the reaction that I will receive from my TED Talk, I am trying to remind myself that this a great learning opportunity and a chance to push myself a little further outside my comfort zone. I know that once this experience is over, I will be proud of myself for achieving something that I never would have even attempted just a couple years ago. Until then, I remain confident with the work that I have put in over the course of the semester and I plan to use every opportunity between now and Tuesday to polish my delivery of the information.
I found myself struggling a great deal with how to best structure my information but I eventually decided on separating my presentation into five sections. My first sections focuses on the idea that, while my topic 'the danger of desensitization' sounds quite menacing, the world is actually getting much better. I compiled some of the benefits of desensitization such as greater knowledge about the world and access to technology. I framed these in such a way to communicate the idea that with our increased access to knowledge and technology, we are the generation with the tools to create unprecedented positive global change. In my second section, I decided to delve into the reason why we don't enact this change to the extent that we could be; desensitization. While our devices can be catalysts for change, they are also numbing agents that have desensitized us the events of the world and our capacity to play a role within them.
'Lack of Empathetic Action' is the heading for my third section, under which I discuss the effects of desensitization in an otherwise extremely capable generation. I then go on to discuss what I believe (through research) to be the main cause of desensitization which is simply overexposure to negatively saturated world news. To conclude my TED Talk, I plan to discuss what I would like to change through my presentation of three steps that I think we, as Canadian youth, have the ability to take in order to live out more empathetic lives, both digitally and in reality.
Throughout the entirety of my TED Talk I included statistics and studies from professionals covering related topics in order to help support and further form my opinions. I find that as I approach the delivery of this project, which has been months in the making, I am both confident and nervous. I knew that this topic was one I was deeply interested in pursuing and I feel satisfied with the research I conducted. Yet, I worry about how it will be perceived by my audience and my classmates. As I was constructing my slides and finalizing my script, I attempted to insert what I thought would be relatable humour - e.g. the world record egg - so that even if my topic doesn't necessarily connect with someone, they can still be engaged with it, or rather with me.
At the start of this project, there were multiple goals that I had set for myself. I had written a list of 5 questions to guide my learning and I feel that through my research I was able to successfully compose an answer to each of them.
While I find myself nervously anticipating the reaction that I will receive from my TED Talk, I am trying to remind myself that this a great learning opportunity and a chance to push myself a little further outside my comfort zone. I know that once this experience is over, I will be proud of myself for achieving something that I never would have even attempted just a couple years ago. Until then, I remain confident with the work that I have put in over the course of the semester and I plan to use every opportunity between now and Tuesday to polish my delivery of the information.
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