0:00:15.592,0:00:19.023 Darren Jiang: Hello everyone,[br]my name is Darren Jiang. 0:00:20.517,0:00:26.055 Every individual has different sides[br]or dimensions, given the environment. 0:00:27.478,0:00:31.663 Those dimensions are not always[br]transparent to the external world. 0:00:32.866,0:00:37.305 For each person, there are sides[br]or dimensions that we know, 0:00:37.813,0:00:42.604 but of course, there are sides and parts[br]that are hidden or unknown to us. 0:00:43.666,0:00:49.205 These are the images of the famous[br]international actor and model Godfrey Gao. 0:00:50.500,0:00:54.290 He was the first-ever[br]Asian male model to be featured 0:00:54.290,0:00:56.183 in the Louis Vuitton campaign. 0:00:56.901,0:00:59.316 He's also been ranked as number seven 0:00:59.698,0:01:04.502 on the world's top 100 sexiest men alive. 0:01:05.577,0:01:07.852 Woo, I hear woos and wows from the crowd. 0:01:07.887,0:01:08.955 (Laughter) 0:01:09.707,0:01:13.833 So everything does seem very perfect[br]about Godfrey Gao, doesn't it? 0:01:14.415,0:01:17.288 From his chiseled face[br]with flawless features 0:01:18.257,0:01:22.233 to his tall, toned, athletic body, right? 0:01:24.353,0:01:28.994 However, he may also give off the vibe[br]and impression of being distant, 0:01:29.268,0:01:33.980 or sometimes stuck-up,[br]given this image portrayed by media. 0:01:35.460,0:01:38.341 I've had the good fortune[br]of getting to know Godfrey 0:01:38.505,0:01:43.279 both as a person, but more importantly,[br]as a very close friend for many years, 0:01:44.710,0:01:46.353 and I'm here to tell you, 0:01:46.715,0:01:50.325 he has different dimensions[br]that he doesn't reveal to the public. 0:01:52.707,0:01:54.401 When the cameras stop rolling, 0:01:54.728,0:01:58.857 Godfrey, or G as I would like to call him, 0:01:59.716,0:02:01.611 is actually very easygoing, 0:02:02.107,0:02:06.126 caring, kind, generous, 0:02:06.853,0:02:09.876 but most importantly, down-to-earth. 0:02:10.914,0:02:12.608 He's just a boy next door 0:02:12.608,0:02:16.062 who could throw on[br]some shorts, a baseball cap, 0:02:17.125,0:02:20.644 and have the audacity to break[br]into my brand-new Jordans 0:02:21.651,0:02:24.916 as he was riding around town,[br]goofing around with me on a rickshaw. 0:02:27.149,0:02:30.718 He's also that one friend[br]who will reach out to you first 0:02:31.540,0:02:34.586 if he sees that you're going through[br]a down time in your life. 0:02:34.983,0:02:37.642 For everything he is and all he's not, 0:02:38.549,0:02:42.697 Godfrey is that one loyal friend[br]I've had for many years 0:02:43.494,0:02:46.540 and with whom I can trust my life. 0:02:47.890,0:02:50.457 I know this is starting[br]to sound like a little bit 0:02:50.457,0:02:52.372 of a love confession I have for Godfrey. 0:02:52.372,0:02:53.472 (Laughter) 0:02:53.472,0:02:54.828 I get it, I get it. 0:02:57.023,0:03:01.242 And I know he's rolling his eyes[br]to the back of his head as we speak. 0:03:01.515,0:03:03.627 (Cheers) 0:03:03.627,0:03:05.381 (Applause) 0:03:05.575,0:03:06.986 Godfrey Gao: Hey guys. 0:03:06.986,0:03:09.321 (Applause) 0:03:09.321,0:03:14.267 Yeah, um, I've never had another man[br]describe me like that so, um, 0:03:14.267,0:03:15.748 DJ: I'm that man. 0:03:15.748,0:03:16.988 GG: Thank you, Darren. 0:03:16.988,0:03:18.767 Thank you everyone for coming today. 0:03:18.767,0:03:22.221 I'm very excited to be here,[br]here at TEDxBangsar. 0:03:22.747,0:03:27.067 DJ: So for celebrities[br]or KOLs like Godfrey, 0:03:27.848,0:03:30.770 what you guys see in media or social media 0:03:30.770,0:03:34.382 is actually a very, very small fraction,[br]a very small glimpse 0:03:34.692,0:03:36.011 of who he actually is. 0:03:36.011,0:03:37.454 GG: Exactly DJ: right? 0:03:37.603,0:03:39.443 GG: As you can see this handsome face, 0:03:39.450,0:03:40.732 (Laughter) 0:03:40.798,0:03:43.974 um, that is only one side of me, okay. 0:03:43.974,0:03:48.810 That's what you see on social media,[br]in TVs and movies, and talk shows. 0:03:49.075,0:03:54.225 But here, standing on the stage,[br]talking to you is another side of me 0:03:54.225,0:03:56.871 that many of you[br]don't get to see very often, 0:03:57.906,0:04:01.657 and like millions of people[br]across the world, 0:04:02.144,0:04:05.662 today, are always asking[br]the same questions: 0:04:06.510,0:04:07.671 Who am I? 0:04:08.281,0:04:10.372 Who are we as individuals? 0:04:10.982,0:04:12.542 What do we represent? 0:04:12.732,0:04:14.508 And who do we look up to? 0:04:15.382,0:04:19.265 This is a big topic because [br]there's a lot of confusion nowadays 0:04:19.915,0:04:26.142 with the young generation[br]and the rise of the KOL phenomenon. 0:04:26.667,0:04:29.552 Obviously, everyone knows[br]what KOL means: 0:04:29.860,0:04:33.147 key opinion leaders,[br]or, you know, the mass influencers, 0:04:33.686,0:04:39.177 and these influencers make an impact[br]in the world today through social media. 0:04:39.573,0:04:44.340 They could be experts[br]like myself on fashion; 0:04:45.528,0:04:48.139 they could be experts[br]like DJ in basketball; 0:04:49.811,0:04:55.014 they could be, you know, experts[br]in diet routines or workout routines. 0:04:55.989,0:05:01.412 But you don't know what these KOLs[br]go through behind the scenes. 0:05:02.320,0:05:06.078 Like myself and like many of you,[br]we go through struggles in life. 0:05:06.313,0:05:10.657 We have to get through obstacles[br]and in order to do that, 0:05:11.422,0:05:13.940 we need to be very strong and confident. 0:05:14.597,0:05:17.872 DJ: [What] you guys see[br]is the picture-perfect Godfrey in media, 0:05:18.364,0:05:20.709 but let me tell you,[br]I'm here to spill secrets - 0:05:20.776,0:05:22.215 He ain't that perfect. 0:05:22.215,0:05:24.015 GG: Exactly. DJ: Right? 0:05:24.015,0:05:25.741 GG: Well, no one's perfect, okay. 0:05:25.741,0:05:27.855 Even though I like to be a perfectionist, 0:05:28.841,0:05:32.134 there are still struggles in life[br]which Darren has seen many of times. 0:05:32.134,0:05:33.174 DJ: Oh yeah. 0:05:33.174,0:05:34.981 GG: He's seen the angry side of me; 0:05:34.981,0:05:37.956 he's seen the happy side;[br]he's seen a lot of sides of me, 0:05:38.991,0:05:43.687 but he knows deep down inside,[br]I'm a very, very genuine and good person. 0:05:43.884,0:05:45.939 DJ: As a result of Godfrey's profession, 0:05:46.771,0:05:49.921 so many people automatically[br]assume and associate him 0:05:49.921,0:05:55.486 with this luxurious, glamorous lifestyle[br]and all the perks that come with it, 0:05:55.693,0:05:57.829 and trust me, they do exist. 0:05:57.985,0:05:59.688 (Laughter) 0:06:00.195,0:06:02.811 He's led a very privileged lifestyle. 0:06:03.845,0:06:09.485 And media or social media is really good[br]at amplifying that misconception 0:06:09.935,0:06:13.857 and leaving us with the impression[br]of his picture-perfect life. 0:06:15.080,0:06:19.206 However, as many of us know, 0:06:19.405,0:06:21.025 no one is perfect. 0:06:22.151,0:06:25.601 In reality, for people like Godfrey, 0:06:25.868,0:06:30.428 being in the eyes of the public[br]has become such a huge part of his job, 0:06:30.747,0:06:34.127 and it will continue[br]to be a huge part of his life. 0:06:35.903,0:06:38.323 His brand has been turned[br]into a commodity, 0:06:38.323,0:06:40.296 sold for a price by the industry. 0:06:40.762,0:06:45.398 However, for many of us,[br]whether or not it's generating income, 0:06:46.161,0:06:50.011 it has become something[br]so much bigger than it actually is, 0:06:50.502,0:06:53.662 something that dictates our identity, 0:06:54.015,0:06:59.854 or worse yet, something[br]that affects other people's identity. 0:07:00.388,0:07:01.454 GG: Exactly. 0:07:01.454,0:07:08.443 Young people nowadays, teenagers[br]are following these KOLs on a daily basis. 0:07:09.561,0:07:14.548 And not all KOLs are good: 0:07:14.548,0:07:17.991 some are bad, some are good,[br]some share positive images, 0:07:18.485,0:07:22.188 some share - I don't know[br]what they share online nowadays. 0:07:22.188,0:07:23.738 DJ: I don't even want to look. 0:07:23.738,0:07:27.745 GG: But yes, you've got to follow[br]the right kind of KOLs, 0:07:27.745,0:07:31.646 who makes a positive impact[br]in the world and does good causes. 0:07:32.076,0:07:35.807 DJ: Our millennials have become[br]so overly obsessed 0:07:36.205,0:07:40.219 about the latest trend[br]of clean eating, healthy dieting, 0:07:40.399,0:07:43.397 and don't get us wrong,[br]it all comes from a good place. 0:07:43.505,0:07:47.656 It comes from the harmless approach[br]of wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle. 0:07:47.756,0:07:49.358 There's nothing wrong with that. 0:07:49.682,0:07:53.674 But what gets dangerous, though,[br]is when they let these beliefs 0:07:53.674,0:07:57.501 alter their own perception[br]of what being healthy really is. 0:07:58.459,0:08:01.349 Case in point: this is a teenager 0:08:01.349,0:08:06.613 who is trying to look[br]like her KOL, Angelina Jolie. 0:08:06.753,0:08:08.389 She did, ironically. 0:08:08.389,0:08:10.681 She did become a social media sensation 0:08:12.355,0:08:17.124 because she's been mocked as being[br]the zombie version of Angelina Jolie. 0:08:17.274,0:08:19.058 So this is a very extreme case. 0:08:19.246,0:08:21.813 Other case studies have also shown 0:08:21.913,0:08:26.674 that teenagers are mindlessly following[br]their KOLs' lifestyle and appearances, 0:08:27.402,0:08:30.040 even if it means for them[br]to go to extreme measures. 0:08:30.885,0:08:33.856 This was well documented[br]by 60 Minutes Australia. 0:08:34.477,0:08:39.631 In this clip, a teenage girl[br]was mindlessly following her KOL's looks. 0:08:40.307,0:08:45.551 As showcased here on a social media page,[br]everything looks picture-perfect, 0:08:46.818,0:08:48.158 but the result: 0:08:48.755,0:08:53.811 she ended up suffering[br]a mental disease called orthorexia, 0:08:54.586,0:08:59.373 which is the eating disorder[br]combined with an anxiety disorder. 0:09:00.070,0:09:02.777 Now she has some serious anger issues[br]towards everything. 0:09:02.902,0:09:05.281 She can hardly intake any food or drinks. 0:09:06.064,0:09:08.028 It's seriously hurting her health. 0:09:08.032,0:09:10.704 GG: I know that feeling, being hangry. 0:09:11.148,0:09:14.105 DJ: So all these cases have shown us 0:09:14.339,0:09:17.455 that teenagers are actually[br]on the receiving end 0:09:18.964,0:09:23.198 from the detrimental damage[br]of mindless pursuit of KOLs' lifestyles. 0:09:25.053,0:09:28.574 So what can we do to fix it? 0:09:29.041,0:09:30.296 GG: Well, one way 0:09:30.296,0:09:33.950 is we must redefine[br]our relationships with KOLs, 0:09:34.253,0:09:38.996 instead of mindlessly pursuing[br]these KOLs and copying them. 0:09:40.867,0:09:42.793 In addition, we need to find 0:09:42.793,0:09:47.214 positive influencers in the world[br]that makes an impact in society - 0:09:47.793,0:09:49.273 well, besides myself. 0:09:49.332,0:09:50.922 (Laughter) 0:09:51.699,0:09:54.568 Darren has a great example[br]that he's going to tell you about. 0:09:55.868,0:09:59.224 DJ: So, another case study 0:09:59.224,0:10:05.351 on the positive side is LeBron James,[br]the superstar athlete from the NBA. 0:10:05.689,0:10:08.982 In 2018, in working[br]with his family foundation, 0:10:09.143,0:10:12.874 opened up the I Promise School[br]in Akron Ohio, his hometown, 0:10:13.312,0:10:16.237 which is aimed[br]at helping at-risk students, 0:10:16.391,0:10:18.888 providing free education, free lunch 0:10:19.461,0:10:22.693 and a whole bunch of benefits,[br]basically paving a way 0:10:23.133,0:10:25.418 for the younger generation[br]to succeed in life. 0:10:26.109,0:10:27.270 DJ: Or, 0:10:27.470,0:10:29.618 GG: like the real Angelina Jolie, 0:10:29.618,0:10:31.925 DJ: the real one GG: the real version. 0:10:32.747,0:10:35.370 She's ambassador for UNICEF,[br]she's an activist 0:10:35.370,0:10:38.233 and she has helped out[br]a lot of the refugee camps, 0:10:38.233,0:10:40.276 and the list goes on. 0:10:40.778,0:10:43.710 And she's the perfect example[br]for a female role model. 0:10:44.632,0:10:47.280 DJ: So based on these case studies,[br]what we've learned 0:10:47.280,0:10:50.870 is that we're not asking you guys[br]not to follow KOLs. 0:10:51.524,0:10:54.374 You can definitely use them[br]for goal setting or benchmarking 0:10:54.374,0:10:55.971 GG: and following the right KOLs. 0:10:55.971,0:10:57.184 DJ: Absolutely. 0:10:57.584,0:11:00.833 So in 2012, since then, 0:11:01.168,0:11:04.437 Godfrey and I have been brainstorming[br]about starting up a project 0:11:04.437,0:11:07.879 that truly drives positive change[br]in youth movement. 0:11:08.132,0:11:10.572 At the time, I had been working 0:11:10.572,0:11:13.592 for one of the world's[br]leading sports brands companies, 0:11:14.439,0:11:17.203 while Godfrey, being[br]one of the brand's KOLs, 0:11:17.302,0:11:19.005 witnessed firsthand with me 0:11:19.005,0:11:20.415 how big of an impact 0:11:20.415,0:11:22.825 our signature athletes made on the youth. 0:11:23.205,0:11:26.611 However, we realized[br]that it'll be equally important 0:11:26.611,0:11:29.710 for us to truly inspire the youth 0:11:30.521,0:11:34.040 while paving a way for them[br]to become a better version of themselves. 0:11:34.185,0:11:37.407 So in 2014, I resigned from my company. 0:11:37.773,0:11:42.415 We put our heads together and created[br]this platform called the PB System, 0:11:42.671,0:11:47.060 with the very purpose of driving[br]positive change in youth movement. 0:11:48.139,0:11:51.675 PB stands for Personal Best. 0:11:52.711,0:11:53.969 What we're saying is 0:11:53.969,0:11:59.015 becoming "the best" sometimes[br]can be subjective and unattainable, 0:11:59.382,0:12:04.967 especially in Asian cultures[br]within which a lot of us grew up in. 0:12:06.925,0:12:10.720 Parents tend to exert so much[br]invisible pressure on their kids 0:12:10.720,0:12:12.768 to become the best at everything: 0:12:13.656,0:12:18.465 in the classrooms, on the sports field,[br]when they take piano lessons. 0:12:18.959,0:12:20.030 What we're saying is, 0:12:20.030,0:12:25.296 at PB, we should focus more[br]on developing these kids as individuals 0:12:26.036,0:12:29.459 and motivating them to become[br]the best version of themselves. 0:12:30.874,0:12:34.291 These are just some of the activations[br]that we do throughout the year: 0:12:34.291,0:12:36.976 with college campuses, cities, 0:12:37.883,0:12:39.671 hosting basketball events. 0:12:39.671,0:12:42.047 Through basketball, our common passion, 0:12:42.188,0:12:46.426 enable the kids to explore[br]other dimensions of our KOLs, 0:12:46.569,0:12:48.651 to set good examples for them, 0:12:48.651,0:12:51.859 so that they can be inspired[br]to achieve better life path. 0:12:53.406,0:12:55.296 A picture is worth a thousand words. 0:12:55.633,0:12:58.856 These images were taken[br]from our events all over China. 0:13:00.235,0:13:03.140 But of course, at PB Camp, 0:13:03.140,0:13:05.510 which is something[br]that we run every summer, 0:13:05.510,0:13:07.118 something magical happens too. 0:13:08.463,0:13:11.995 GG: Well, the magical thing is ...[br]we have Ray Allen here. 0:13:13.080,0:13:14.556 He was our special guest. 0:13:15.834,0:13:20.141 The very famous NBA superstar Ray Allen[br]was at our first basketball camp 0:13:20.141,0:13:22.874 in Beijing back in 2014,[br]when we started this. 0:13:23.798,0:13:25.372 He was here for 12 days. 0:13:26.044,0:13:27.141 Now think about it: 0:13:27.141,0:13:30.534 a superstar athlete is hands-on, 0:13:31.010,0:13:33.465 on and off the court, for 12 days. 0:13:34.177,0:13:38.290 On the court, he was helping kids[br]to be better at themselves 0:13:38.290,0:13:40.703 on shooting, dribbling,[br]all those skill sets; 0:13:40.756,0:13:42.053 but off the court, 0:13:42.239,0:13:47.410 he was teaching kids and telling stories[br]about his experience in his lifetime 0:13:48.000,0:13:51.220 for these campers, volunteers and workers. 0:13:51.761,0:13:53.726 In this picture, obviously, 0:13:53.726,0:14:00.021 made this girl cry[br]because she shared the same story 0:14:00.021,0:14:03.713 that he was telling everybody[br]that was at the cafeteria. 0:14:04.307,0:14:06.260 DJ: Obviously it looks like she's crying, 0:14:06.260,0:14:09.896 but she was just very touched[br]by Ray Allen's inspirational stories 0:14:09.896,0:14:10.900 with happy tears. 0:14:10.900,0:14:12.357 GG: Yes, happy tears. 0:14:13.998,0:14:16.462 DJ: Also, in addition, Godfrey, 0:14:16.857,0:14:19.038 whenever we host events[br]in the summertime, 0:14:19.498,0:14:22.221 he's actually becoming one of us,[br]one of the campers. 0:14:22.468,0:14:28.143 He really gets closer with the audience,[br]which are our campers. 0:14:29.052,0:14:32.162 He even goes so far, to the point[br]where he goes into dormitories, 0:14:32.162,0:14:34.109 casually dressed up, 0:14:34.109,0:14:36.379 wearing a wife-beater with a baseball cap. 0:14:36.379,0:14:38.959 He's actually doing[br]team-building exercises 0:14:38.959,0:14:41.576 with the kids, inspiring them. 0:14:42.264,0:14:44.188 So this is where the magic happens - 0:14:44.450,0:14:46.650 the kids not only walk away[br]with our camp 0:14:47.103,0:14:49.012 with smiles on their faces, 0:14:49.012,0:14:50.639 but they also walk away 0:14:50.639,0:14:53.971 with a positive influence[br]from their idols, from their KOLs, 0:14:54.323,0:14:56.502 and something inspirational 0:14:56.502,0:14:59.472 which would serve them better[br]for the rest of their lives. 0:15:00.402,0:15:03.565 So by creating these unprecedented access 0:15:03.565,0:15:07.253 and opportunities for the KOLs[br]to get to know our campers, 0:15:08.330,0:15:11.111 our kids have shifted the perspective 0:15:11.588,0:15:14.800 from mindlessly following[br]their KOL's appearance and lifestyle 0:15:15.263,0:15:20.018 to proactively practicing[br]their work ethic, their persistence 0:15:20.999,0:15:22.947 and everything that comes along with it. 0:15:23.943,0:15:25.207 GG: And more importantly, 0:15:25.207,0:15:28.083 we want these kids to feel[br]like they can relate to us, 0:15:28.695,0:15:32.573 that they're not afraid to talk to us[br]and share stories with us 0:15:32.573,0:15:35.523 because once they do that, 0:15:35.523,0:15:39.035 we get to hear them and hear their voices 0:15:39.035,0:15:42.575 and we can share our opinions[br]or our experiences in life, 0:15:42.575,0:15:46.857 and they love the experiences[br]that they had in our PB System camps. 0:15:48.055,0:15:53.237 So to wrap things up,[br]everyone's going to go home, 0:15:53.237,0:15:56.243 and we're going to go back[br]to our little boxes, little bubbles, 0:15:56.243,0:16:01.840 and everyone's going to see us on TVs[br]or movies or on social media platforms. 0:16:02.367,0:16:04.374 But here, at TEDx - 0:16:04.374,0:16:09.214 DJ: Here, we're at TEDx today[br]and at all the future PB activations. 0:16:09.486,0:16:11.831 We could also be youth movement leaders, 0:16:11.831,0:16:13.101 entrepreneurs, 0:16:13.101,0:16:15.738 but most importantly, your friends 0:16:15.738,0:16:19.732 who are going to hold your hands[br]and change the world together with you. 0:16:20.173,0:16:24.259 So with that, let's redefine[br]our relationship with KOLs 0:16:24.431,0:16:27.896 GG: and strive to achieve[br]your personal best. 0:16:28.165,0:16:29.641 (Applause)