The antidote to apathy | Dave Meslin | TEDxToronto
-
0:01 - 0:04How often do we hear
that people just don't care? -
0:05 - 0:07How many times have you been told
-
0:07 - 0:10that real, substantial change
isn't possible -
0:10 - 0:12because most people are too selfish,
-
0:12 - 0:14too stupid or too lazy
-
0:14 - 0:17to try to make a difference
in their community? -
0:17 - 0:20I propose to you today
that apathy as we think we know it -
0:20 - 0:21doesn't actually exist;
-
0:21 - 0:24but rather, that people do care,
-
0:24 - 0:27but that we live in a world
that actively discourages engagement -
0:27 - 0:31by constantly putting obstacles
and barriers in our way. -
0:31 - 0:33I'll give you some
examples of what I mean. -
0:33 - 0:34Let's start with city hall.
-
0:35 - 0:37You ever see one of these before?
-
0:37 - 0:39This is a newspaper ad.
-
0:39 - 0:42It's a notice of a zoning application
change for a new office building -
0:42 - 0:44so the neighborhood
knows what's happening. -
0:44 - 0:46As you can see, it's impossible to read.
-
0:46 - 0:47You need to get halfway down
-
0:47 - 0:50to even find out which address
they're talking about, -
0:50 - 0:52and then further down,
in tiny 10-point font, -
0:52 - 0:54to find out how to actually get involved.
-
0:54 - 0:57Imagine if the private sector
advertised in the same way -- -
0:57 - 0:59if Nike wanted to sell a pair of shoes --
-
0:59 - 1:01(Laughter)
-
1:01 - 1:03And put an ad in the paper like that.
-
1:03 - 1:07(Applause)
-
1:07 - 1:09Now, that would never happen.
-
1:09 - 1:11You'll never see an ad like that,
-
1:11 - 1:13because Nike actually wants
you to buy their shoes, -
1:13 - 1:16whereas the city of Toronto
clearly doesn't want you involved -
1:16 - 1:18with the planning process,
-
1:18 - 1:20otherwise their ads would look
something like this, -
1:20 - 1:22with all the information laid out clearly.
-
1:22 - 1:25As long as the city's putting out
notices like this -
1:25 - 1:26to try to get people engaged,
-
1:26 - 1:28then of course people
aren't going to be engaged. -
1:28 - 1:31But that's not apathy;
that's intentional exclusion. -
1:32 - 1:34Public space.
-
1:34 - 1:36(Applause)
-
1:37 - 1:39The manner in which we mistreat
our public spaces -
1:39 - 1:43is a huge obstacle towards any type
of progressive political change, -
1:43 - 1:46because we've essentially put a price tag
on freedom of expression. -
1:46 - 1:49Whoever has the most money
gets the loudest voice, -
1:49 - 1:51dominating the visual
and mental environment. -
1:51 - 1:54The problem with this model
is there are some amazing messages -
1:54 - 1:57that need to be said,
that aren't profitable to say. -
1:57 - 2:00So you're never going
to see them on a billboard. -
2:01 - 2:02The media plays an important role
-
2:02 - 2:06in developing our relationship
with political change, -
2:06 - 2:10mainly by ignoring politics and focusing
on celebrities and scandals, -
2:10 - 2:13but even when they do talk
about important political issues, -
2:13 - 2:16they do it in a way that I feel
discourages engagement. -
2:16 - 2:17I'll give you an example.
-
2:17 - 2:20The "Now" magazine from last week:
progressive, downtown weekly in Toronto. -
2:20 - 2:22This is the cover story.
-
2:22 - 2:24It's an article
about a theater performance, -
2:24 - 2:27and it starts with basic
information about where it is, -
2:27 - 2:30in case you actually want to go and see
it after you've read the article -- -
2:30 - 2:32where, the time, the website.
-
2:32 - 2:35Same with this -- it's a movie review.
-
2:35 - 2:36An art review.
-
2:36 - 2:39A book review -- where the reading
is in case you want to go. -
2:39 - 2:42A restaurant -- you might not
want to just read about it, -
2:42 - 2:44maybe you want to go there.
-
2:44 - 2:47So they tell you where it is, the prices,
the address, the phone number, etc. -
2:47 - 2:49Then you get to their political articles.
-
2:49 - 2:53Here's a great article about an important
election race that's happening. -
2:53 - 2:55It talks about the candidates,
written very well, -
2:55 - 2:58but no information, no follow-up,
no websites for the campaigns, -
2:59 - 3:02no information about when the debates
are, where the campaign offices are. -
3:02 - 3:03Here's another good article,
-
3:04 - 3:07about a new campaign
opposing privatization of transit, -
3:07 - 3:09without any contact information
for the campaign. -
3:09 - 3:11The message seems to be
-
3:11 - 3:14that the readers are most likely
to want to eat, maybe read a book, -
3:14 - 3:17maybe see a movie, but not be engaged
in their community. -
3:17 - 3:20You might think this is a small thing,
but I think it's important, -
3:20 - 3:22because it sets a tone
-
3:22 - 3:27and it reinforces the dangerous idea
that politics is a spectator sport. -
3:28 - 3:30Heroes: How do we view leadership?
-
3:30 - 3:33Look at these 10 movies.
What do they have in common? -
3:33 - 3:34Anyone?
-
3:36 - 3:38They all have heroes who were chosen.
-
3:38 - 3:41Someone came up to them and said,
"You're the chosen one. -
3:41 - 3:43There's a prophecy.
You have to save the world." -
3:43 - 3:46And then they go off and save the world
because they've been told to, -
3:46 - 3:48with a few people tagging along.
-
3:48 - 3:49This helps me understand
-
3:49 - 3:52why a lot of people have trouble
seeing themselves as leaders -- -
3:52 - 3:56because it sends all the wrong messages
about what leadership is about. -
3:56 - 3:58A heroic effort is a collective effort,
-
3:58 - 4:00number one.
-
4:00 - 4:03Number two, it's imperfect;
it's not very glamorous, -
4:03 - 4:06and doesn't suddenly start
and suddenly end. -
4:06 - 4:08It's an ongoing process your whole life.
-
4:08 - 4:09But most importantly, it's voluntary.
-
4:09 - 4:11It's voluntary.
-
4:11 - 4:13As long as we're teaching our kids
-
4:13 - 4:17that heroism starts when someone
scratches a mark on your forehead, -
4:17 - 4:19or someone tells you
you're part of a prophecy, -
4:19 - 4:22they're missing the most important
characteristic of leadership, -
4:22 - 4:24which is that it comes from within.
-
4:24 - 4:28It's about following
your own dreams, uninvited, -
4:28 - 4:31and then working with others
to make those dreams come true. -
4:31 - 4:33Political parties: oh, boy.
-
4:33 - 4:37Political parties could and should be
one of the basic entry points -
4:38 - 4:39for people to get engaged in politics.
-
4:39 - 4:42Instead, they've become, sadly,
-
4:42 - 4:45uninspiring and uncreative organizations
-
4:45 - 4:49that rely so heavily on market research
and polling and focus groups -
4:49 - 4:51that they end up all saying
the same thing, -
4:51 - 4:54pretty much regurgitating back
to us what we already want to hear -
4:54 - 4:57at the expense of putting forward
bold and creative ideas. -
4:57 - 4:59And people can smell that,
and it feeds cynicism. -
4:59 - 5:05(Applause)
-
5:06 - 5:07Charitable status.
-
5:07 - 5:11Groups who have charitable status
in Canada aren't allowed to do advocacy. -
5:11 - 5:14This is a huge problem
and a huge obstacle to change, -
5:14 - 5:17because it means that some
of the most passionate and informed voices -
5:17 - 5:20are completely silenced,
especially during election time. -
5:20 - 5:23Which leads us to the last one,
which is: our elections. -
5:24 - 5:25As you may have noticed,
-
5:25 - 5:27our elections in Canada
are a complete joke. -
5:27 - 5:29We use out-of-date systems
-
5:29 - 5:31that are unfair and create random results.
-
5:31 - 5:33Canada's currently led by a party
-
5:33 - 5:35that most Canadians didn't actually want.
-
5:35 - 5:39How can we honestly and genuinely
encourage more people to vote -
5:39 - 5:41when votes don't count in Canada?
-
5:41 - 5:44You add all this up together,
and of course people are apathetic. -
5:44 - 5:46It's like trying to run into a brick wall.
-
5:46 - 5:50Now, I'm not trying to be negative
by throwing all these obstacles out -
5:50 - 5:51and explaining what's in our way.
-
5:51 - 5:53Quite the opposite --
-
5:53 - 5:57I actually think people are amazing
and smart and that they do care, -
5:57 - 6:00but that, as I said,
we live in this environment -
6:00 - 6:03where all these obstacles
are being put in our way. -
6:03 - 6:07As long as we believe
that people, our own neighbors, -
6:07 - 6:10are selfish, stupid or lazy,
-
6:10 - 6:12then there's no hope.
-
6:13 - 6:15But we can change
all those things I mentioned. -
6:15 - 6:17We can open up city hall.
-
6:17 - 6:18We can reform our electoral systems.
-
6:18 - 6:20We can democratize our public spaces.
-
6:20 - 6:22My main message is:
-
6:22 - 6:24if we can redefine apathy,
-
6:24 - 6:26not as some kind of internal syndrome,
-
6:26 - 6:31but as a complex web of cultural barriers
that reinforces disengagement, -
6:31 - 6:37and if we can clearly define,
clearly identify what those obstacles are, -
6:37 - 6:41and then if we can work together
collectively to dismantle those obstacles, -
6:41 - 6:42then anything is possible.
-
6:42 - 6:43Thank you.
-
6:43 - 6:45(Applause)
- Title:
- The antidote to apathy | Dave Meslin | TEDxToronto
- Description:
-
TEDxToronto is the official TEDx conference for Toronto, Canada.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, it brings together the city's foremost thought leaders, change makers and everyday people from each discipline and challenges them to deliver powerful, unforgettable and unique TEDxTalks.
The theme of the second annual conference was A Call to Action. A total of 300 spots were reserved for audience members, while thousands more across the country joined via satellite locations and live video stream.
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.)
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 07:38
TED Translators admin edited English subtitles for The antidote to apathy | Dave Meslin | TEDxToronto | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for The antidote to apathy | Dave Meslin | TEDxToronto | ||
Ivana Korom edited English subtitles for The antidote to apathy | Dave Meslin | TEDxToronto |