Bazen adım atmak koşmaktan daha hızlıdır | 2024 | Hüseyin Sayın | TEDxReset

Opening Remarks and the Question of AI Authorship

• The presentation aims to be enjoyable and entertaining, despite being the last speech of the day, on a rainy day in Istanbul (10s).
• A question is posed: if artificial intelligence were to write a holy book, who among us would believe in it, and the answer is left to the audience (30s).
• Research has shown that no one would believe in a holy book written by artificial intelligence, as people tend to compare and verify information (40s).
• Despite this, people are motivated to believe by factors other than information and systems, which is ironic given that we are constantly trying to learn and improve through information and systems (58s).

A Journey Through Time: Historical Photographs

• Three historical photographs will be shown to take the audience on a journey through time (1m17s).
• The first photograph, from the 14th century, depicts a scene from Bologna University in Italy, showing a student who is bored, others who are listening to the lesson, and some who are talking among themselves, highlighting that some things have not changed in 650-700 years (1m23s).
• The second photograph shows the Penny Universities of 16th-17th century London, which were actually coffeehouses where people, including artists, politicians, and scholars, would gather to share and discuss information and ideas for the price of a penny (2m8s).
• These gatherings were driven by curiosity and a desire to learn and improve, and people would share what they had learned with others outside (2m43s).
• The third photograph is not described in the provided text, but it is mentioned that it will be shown to the audience (2m1s).

The 18th and 19th Century Educational Journey

• In the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in 19th-century Europe, young people were not sent directly to university after completing high school; instead, they were encouraged to embark on a 6-7 month journey to discover their goals, desires, and aspirations before making their university choices (3m5s).
• This journey had two main objectives: to help young people move away from their current situation and to discover their true passions and goals during the journey (3m26s).
• The question is raised about how university choices are made today, and whether the current system allows for the same level of self-discovery as the journey-based approach of the past (3m40s).

Koko the Gorilla and the Capacity for Lying

• The example of Koko, a gorilla who could converse using over 2000 words and had an IQ of around 90, is given to illustrate the importance of learning and growth, but also to highlight the discovery that as Koko's knowledge and learning abilities increased, so did her capacity for lying (4m2s).
• This raises the question of whether, in our pursuit of knowledge and growth within complex systems, we may be inadvertently becoming accustomed to lying to ourselves (4m44s).

The Future Conflict Between Humans and Systems

• The current digital ecosystem is able to understand and respond to human behavior, but a more significant conflict between humans and systems is predicted to arise in the near future, potentially centered around the digital ecosystem's ability to understand and influence human attitudes and beliefs (5m9s).
• As technology advances, humans will eventually clash with systems they have heavily invested in, leading to a completely different world (5m39s).
• The question arises whether the skills people are currently acquiring will be relevant in the future, such as the emphasis on adding 40 skills to one's resume (5m48s).

The Hadza Tribe and the Nature of Progress

• The Hadza tribe, with only 200-250 people remaining, still lives in the same way as their ancestors did 10,000 years ago, with minimal changes in their lifestyle over the past decade (6m7s).
• A 2010 Harvard University study compared the social relationship networks of Harvard students with those of the Hadza tribe, revealing a surprising similarity between the two groups (6m35s).
• The study found that the social relationship maps of Harvard students and Hadza tribe members showed a 95% similarity, raising questions about whether humans are truly progressing or missing out on something (7m16s).
• This discovery led to a reevaluation of the importance of social relationships and the need to slow down and reassess priorities, as expressed in the slogan "sometimes taking a step is faster than running" (7m58s).

The Importance of Slowing Down and Reassessing

• The concept of "acclimatization" in mountaineering, which involves taking time to adjust to new environments, can be applied to life by taking breaks and reassessing one's path (8m17s).
• To climb a mountain, it takes 4 months to reach the summit, as every 600 meters, the oxygen level decreases, requiring the body and brain to adapt to the lower oxygen levels before proceeding to the next level (8m41s).
• It's essential to take breaks and pause at regular intervals to reflect on life and assess one's progress, as constant movement can make it difficult to understand where one is in life (9m4s).

Living in a Capsule and the Pursuit of Skills

• People tend to live life in a "capsule" where they follow similar patterns and routines, and society often emphasizes developing similar skills and abilities, rather than encouraging individuals to explore their curiosity and passions (9m30s).
• The focus is often on acquiring skills and qualifications, with less emphasis on discovering one's interests, passions, and talents, and having meaningful conversations about these topics (9m50s).
• As people continue to do things, such as learning a language, traveling, or reading, these activities become easier over time, and it's essential to take small steps towards achieving goals (10m13s).

The Power of Small Steps and Consistency

• The ability to travel has become more accessible, and it's possible to explore the world without extensive planning or equipment, as evidenced by the speaker's personal experience of traveling with a backpack for 13 days (10m27s).
• Taking small steps and being consistent can be more effective in making progress than trying to make significant changes all at once, and it's essential to be aware of this and make conscious decisions about how to approach challenges (10m38s).

The Author's Journey and the Importance of Curiosity

• The author has been blogging for approximately 15 years, detailing their travels and sharing them with others, as well as creating educational content related to their field (10m58s).
• They have noticed that many successful individuals throughout history have achieved their goals not solely due to their knowledge, but rather their curiosity and skills (11m33s).
• Two individuals who changed the world are mentioned, with their curiosity and skills taking them to new heights (11m59s).

Dreams, Identity, and Overcoming Limitations

• At the age of 17, the author wrote on their bedroom wall, "Hayallerin yaşam biçimini belirler," which translates to "Dreams determine one's way of life," unknowingly setting the foundation for their future (12m17s).
• The author aims to build a life around making their dreams a reality and continuously restarting to achieve this goal (12m32s).
• Despite being labeled as a "gezgin" (traveler), the author believes they are simply someone who enjoys traveling, gaining experiences, and learning (12m44s).
• The author argues that people often get stuck in predetermined patterns, such as being labeled as either a traveler or a reader, when in fact, one can do both (12m53s).
• The author believes that people are often held back by digital algorithmic censorship, social prejudices, and learned helplessness, which can be overcome by taking action and persevering (13m7s).
• The author has experienced a different dimension of learned helplessness, which they call "öğretilmiş çaresizlik" (taught helplessness), where people are taught to be helpless rather than learning it through experience (13m17s).
• The author aims to overcome this taught helplessness by taking action and trying new things, even in the face of obstacles (13m28s).

The Importance of Imagination, Creativity, and Collaboration

• The author mentions their collaboration with educator Emre to establish a center focused on imagination and creativity, which has had a positive impact on thousands of children (13m44s).
• Research was conducted, resulting in the identification of several key points related to children and youth, including the importance of curiosity and skills in shaping one's life, which was shared and emphasized the need to acknowledge and build on these aspects (13m53s).
• It is crucial to take small steps, slow down, and pause to discover and develop one's curiosity and skills, rather than rushing through life (14m17s).
• A common misconception is that results should be immediate, but this approach is not effective, and instead, a more patient and gradual approach should be adopted (14m29s).
• Allowing others to contribute and participate is essential, rather than trying to do everything alone, as this can lead to faster progress and growth (14m39s).
• Embracing the freedom to make mistakes and not take oneself too seriously is vital, as this allows for creativity and innovation, and it is essential to recognize when one has become too rigid and serious (14m56s).
• The current system can be limiting, and it is essential to be aware of this and not be afraid to challenge it and take risks, rather than being held back by fear (15m32s).
• Courage is not an inherent trait but rather something that can be learned and taught, and it is essential to develop this skill to navigate life's challenges (15m49s).
• The goal should be to work with children and youth, rather than just doing things for them, and to create a collaborative and inclusive environment that fosters growth and development (16m12s).
• It is essential to involve children and youth in the decision-making process and to work together with them to create positive change, rather than just doing things on their behalf (16m25s).

A Young Girl's Presentation and the Speaker's Key Points

• A young girl is giving a presentation, and it's essential to provide opportunities and build together, which creates an experience for everyone, including the speaker, who has had their own experiences in life, such as traveling, writing, giving talks, and attending university (16m36s).
• The speaker has had a career ambition, having left Anatolia and pursued an international career, but something was not fulfilling, leading to the discovery of three key points to be shared (16m55s).

The Social Repertoire Effect

• The first point is the social repertoire effect, where the people in one's close circle significantly impact their beliefs and motivation, so it's crucial to be mindful of the 67 people in one's immediate environment (17m12s).
• The people around us can either support or hinder our goals and aspirations, and there's a difference between having a dream and taking action towards it (17m27s).

Living Without Material Attachments

• The second point is the ability to live without being tied to material possessions or physical constraints, as the speaker has observed that people often struggle to let go of job titles, privileges, and other benefits (17m39s).
• A friend with a high job title was unhappy, and the speaker advised them to leave the job, but the friend was hesitant, illustrating the difficulty of giving up certain comforts (17m54s).
• The speaker has adopted the motto of living life as "Hüseyin" both in and out of work, striving to build a life that can be continued regardless of job titles (18m5s).

The Capacity for Nourishment and New Experiences

• The third point is the capacity for nourishment, which involves trying new things, such as a new food, place, or person, at least once a month, to avoid repetition and stagnation (18m17s).
• It's essential to experience new things, like visiting Göbeklitepe, trying new foods, meeting new people, and engaging in new conversations, to nourish one's life and avoid getting stuck in routines (18m30s).

The Value of Experiences and the Pitfalls of External Motivation

• Valuable things like books are indeed valuable, but if one cannot create their own formula for motivation and financial matters, and instead looks for these things in artificial intelligence and similar places, they will eventually stumble and waste time, which is actually a loss of motivation (18m58s).
• Some things are better suited for certain ages, and there is a saying that while one can travel the world at 60, they will never be able to experience it in the same way as they would at 35 (19m22s).

Investing in Education and the Importance of CQ

• There is a significant focus on investing in education, language learning systems, and programs for children to improve their IQ and cognitive abilities (19m33s).
• The concept of "CQ" is introduced, which is comprised of a curiosity quotient and a passion quotient, with the word "passion" originating from the idea of enduring difficulties and hardships (19m52s).
• The origin of the word "curiosity" is rooted in anxiety and uncertainty, and it is often the case that people are unable to pursue their passions due to a fear of experiencing pain or hardship (20m11s).
• The integration of curiosity, skills, and passion is essential for living a more powerful and fulfilling life, as it allows individuals to combine their motivations, skills, and passions (20m31s).