Watch this @$$hat put the final nail in the coffin for TED

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I have not minced words when discussing my disdain for magicians who use faux science/psychological explanations for otherwise simple parlor tricks. But this is taking it to another level. Watch here as David Kwong and TED come together to make a mockery of truth.
 
You must hate Derren Brown, then. :)

I'm ambivalent about the practice (although I lean towards condemning the practice, as I think the message is too subtle for most people to get it, plus I think it sometimes steps over the line with respect to acceptable deceit and magic (not in this case, though)), but I'm not sure why TED should be condemned. If any audience is smart enough to to pick up on the message of a double cross, wouldn't it be a TED audience?

Linda
 
TED itself is not the problem. They have all sorts of people with varied views on TED and TEDx.

Now, for the actual topic of the talk, this is a reason why I don't just automatically trust anyone to know what they're talking about when they say sciencey stuff.
 
You must hate Derren Brown, then. :)

I'm ambivalent about the practice (although I lean towards condemning the practice, as I think the message is too subtle for most people to get it, plus I think it sometimes steps over the line with respect to acceptable deceit and magic (not in this case, though)), but I'm not sure why TED should be condemned. If any audience is smart enough to to pick up on the message of a double cross, wouldn't it be a TED audience?

Linda

I don't mind Derren Brown, because he owns his buffoonery all to himself. I wouldn't trust anything he says, of course, but at least he's not looking for a stage that supposedly fosters innovative thinking (ideas worth spreading?). This is more like a quadruple triple-double cross. It's next level mud. And why should the audience pick up on it? He would be a genius if he left some hint about the double cross, but it's not there. His presentation is vacuous.
 
I suppose magic has no where else to go. First they had to convince people there were actual psychic powers in play. Now that that era is over, they have to pretend they have a preternatural mastery of science and psychology. That sucks.
 
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It's really not that difficult to simply partake in sleight of hand coupled with distraction techniques. That's all a magic show is.

Sure. But here it's being presented as an insight into human psychology. Imparted wisdom. Why do they have to take it that far? I feel bad for any of the suckers in that audience who believe what he's presenting, and I'm sure there are many.
 
I don't mind Derren Brown, because he owns his buffoonery all to himself. I wouldn't trust anything he says, of course, but at least he's not looking for a stage that supposedly fosters innovative thinking (ideas worth spreading?). This is more like a quadruple triple-double cross. It's next level mud. And why should the audience pick up on it? He would be a genius if he left some hint about the double cross, but it's not there. His presentation is vacuous.

Oh, I guess I didn't know how his talk was billed. I assumed it was billed as a magic show. But if it was billed as a psychology lecture (or something along that line), then I completely agree with you.

Linda
 
Oh, I guess I didn't know how his talk was billed. I assumed it was billed as a magic show. But if it was billed as a psychology lecture (or something along that line), then I completely agree with you.

Linda
Not sure how it was billed. Probably under entertainment or even magic. But I don't know why that matters. The double cross is so frustratingly baloney it boggles the mind a bit.
 
Not sure how it was billed. Probably under entertainment or even magic. But I don't know why that matters. The double cross is so frustratingly baloney it boggles the mind a bit.
Are you complaining that it's so lame as to not be believable in the first place? :)

Linda
 
Are you complaining that it's so lame as to not be believable in the first place? :)

Linda

lol. No! Well, to me it is. But it's only because I understand the popular methods/mechanics behind much of today's magic. I would hardly expect that of the average person.
 
To get maximum enjoyment from this presentation, try watching it after a couple of 90 minute ID/JFK conspiracy videos...

It then becomes quite the palate cleanser.
 
I think TED has been criticized for years with regard to a range of content? As such I don't think it's worth getting too upset about a single presentation?

Instead, I'd relax with some Janet:

 
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