An acclaimed author in both Turkey and the United States, Elif Shafak champions in her TEDTalk, “The politics of fiction,” the idea that stories can transcend identity politics. Transcendence appears to be the theme that links together the talks that Shafak calls her favorites.
She explains, “I have chosen these speakers because even long after I listened to their talks I noticed I was carrying their words with me wherever I traveled. I usually like the kind of talks that combine the intellectual and the emotional, the mind and the heart. In all of these talks there is a desire to expand, to transcend the boundaries of the Self, to understand and connect, to debunk clichés and stereotypes, and a curiosity combined with a compassion towards one's fellow human beings. These also happen to be multi-layered talks. They have an eye-opening, intriguing main theme, but when you listen closely, there are also powerful sub-themes. I can listen to these speakers again and again, hearing something new each time. I love their intelligence, as well as their chutzpah. “
Isabel Allende: Tales of Passion
Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders
Oliver Sacks: What hallucination reveals about our minds
Aimee Mullins: It’s not fair having 12 pairs of legs
Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story
Thandie Newton: Embracing otherness, embracing myself
Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity
Steve Jobs: How to live before you die