We need to talk about TED

'Inspiration Porn'

Don't get me wrong, some TED talks are truly actionable and lend well to the format.

But... Treating TED like it's a platform to 'fix the world' is like hiring a personal trainer who provides companionship and a constant stream of ego-boosting compliments. Rather than one who'll whip your ass into shape help teach you the skills you need to sustain the change yourself over the long-term.

It's like that Louis CK bit. He's seated in first class on an airplane and sees a soldier in uniform walking back to coach (that's how the military do). So he imagines himself offering to trade seats as a sign of respect; doesn't; yet, revels in the self-satisfaction of having such a considerate thought.

A friend likes to say TED and others like it are the 1% telling the 1% how amazing they are.

The opportunity lies not in distributing the content to the 99% (easy...video) but rather in studying the source of what makes people inspiring and distributing that knowledge to all.

"middlebrow megachurch infotainment" nails it.