TED Talks Daily

Confessions of an accidental killer | Gregg Ward

Author Gregg Ward spent decades grappling with guilt from a personal tragedy before recognizing a different path forward — where purpose replaced self-punishment. What he learned about transforming regret into positive change might make you rethink your own mistakes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Does working hard really make you a good person? | Azim Shariff (re-release)

Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good -- even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work's sake.(This episode originally aired in 2023.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The kind of AI we actually need | Van Jones

Social entrepreneur Van Jones believes a new human civilization is being born in real time — and that our technology is racing ahead of our wisdom. In this urgent and hopeful talk, he reframes the AI debate, showing why the real danger isn't the technology itself but rather the communities it leaves behind. His solution? A new deal between big tech and humanity, built on a different kind of "AI" that we desperately need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why you fear the unknown — and what it can teach you | Maya Shankar, Simone Stolzoff

Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar and author Simone Stolzoff have each spent years studying how people navigate uncertainty (and why it often feels so difficult). In this conversation, they discuss why your discomfort with not having the answers might be holding you back — and how leaning into life’s unpredictable moments can unlock resilience, growth and new possibilities. (This conversation was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. TED Membership is the best way to support and engage with the big ideas you love from TED. To learn more, visit ted.com/membership.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why democracy requires renewal | Michael Dimock

Pew Research Center president Michael Dimock has spent years listening to what Americans think — and what they're telling him right now is pretty dark. But buried in the data is something revealing: people are ready for bold democratic reform that the country hasn't seen in decades. He explores how America's founders didn't create a finished system of government but rather launched an ongoing project that requires each generation to renew, adapt and reimagine democracy. The survey says Americans are ready to do the work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.