# I need to find a particular TED talk **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248 "2015-08-29T03:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/1 "2015-08-29T03:12:04Z")
I’ve seen this before, but I can’t find it now. It was a talk about how if you want to argue with someone, don’t use insults. I think it was by a guy who’s from the Skeptic Society or a well-known atheist. No idea of date it was posted, it’s been a couple of years (I think) since I saw it. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/2 "2015-08-29T03:40:21Z")
Was the presenter a man or a woman? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/3 "2015-08-29T04:52:39Z")
It can be [Elizabeth Lesser: Take “the Other” to Lunch](https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_lesser_take_the_other_to_lunch?language=en) A nice talk about not reaching for insults and the concept of ubuntu, “the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity” She came from an Atheist family and she became a proud “I know nothing” agnostic. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/4 "2015-08-29T09:02:19Z")
It was a male speaker - I remember him making the point “Have you ever changed your mind because someone insulted you?” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2015, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/5 "2015-08-29T10:40:37Z")
Need more info, **Zyada**. I’ve watched a bunch of great videos now, but none of them are what you’re looking for. How long ago did you see this? Was the speaker American? British? German? Swedish? Mexican? Any identifiable accent? You’re sure the main topic was arguing without insults? Was it a TED talk or a TEDx talk? (I’ve searched for both, but no luck either way.) Did you watch it on YouTube directly or at the TED site? More details means I can better direct my google-fu. ---
**Author:** ![JassiRbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/94ad74/32.png) [@JassiRbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JassiRbn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/6 "2015-09-02T15:14:57Z")
I always listen to TEDs talks, but can not remember. I will search for hope to find it for you. ---
**Author:** ![JassiRbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/94ad74/32.png) [@JassiRbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JassiRbn)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/7 "2015-09-02T15:18:29Z")
[Michael Shermer: Why people believe weird things | TED Talk](https://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shermer_on_believing_strange_things/transcript?language=en) Maybe you mean this talk? ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/8 "2015-09-05T10:28:45Z")
Could it be Phil Plait’s “Don’t be a Dick” talk at Tam? (Google it. I can’t so easily atm) ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/9 "2015-09-05T10:48:29Z")
> [@Moe](#): > > Could it be Phil Plait’s “Don’t be a Dick” talk at Tam? (Google it. I can’t so easily atm) [The link.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrFRbGjUtJk) ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/10 "2015-09-05T11:00:23Z")
You might try playing with [TEDinator](https://bitbucket.org/obinshah/ted-talks-downloader/downloads). It’s a TED talk downloader for Windows that enables offline viewing. The useful part for this is it downloads metadata and lets you search against the titles. Reviewing a whole title might help. It’s been a while since I used it and don’t currently have it installed. I don’t know if it still works. YMMV. Be wary if it ask if you want to play global thermonuclear war. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/11 "2015-09-11T02:18:01Z")
> [@Moe](#): > > Could it be Phil Plait’s “Don’t be a Dick” talk at Tam? (Google it. I can’t so easily atm) That was it, thanks! I have someone that needs to see this. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/12 "2015-09-11T13:35:38Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > You might try playing with [TEDinator](https://bitbucket.org/obinshah/ted-talks-downloader/downloads). It’s a TED talk downloader for Windows that enables offline viewing. Holy crap, thanks for this. I have a trans-Pacific flight coming up (12-13 hrs each way); the seatback entertainment system typically has a handful of TED talks available, but I typically burn through them in the first couple of hours, and this will let me preload my Surface with a whole mess of them. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/13 "2015-09-11T22:47:55Z")
> [@Moe](#): > > Could it be Phil Plait’s “Don’t be a Dick” talk at Tam? (Google it. I can’t so easily atm) I wish he still hung out on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2015, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-find-a-particular-ted-talk/729248/14 "2015-09-14T13:56:58Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I wish he still hung out on the SDMB. After that talk? I’m not sure he’d enjoy it. Sure, most people are fine, but those loud few… Anyways, since comments are disabled, I wanted to add that he articulated the same reason I think going after religion entirely is bad. Yes, you may believe all religion is horrible, but you’re attacking someone’s core identity if you do that. Go for the truth, and let them possibly reason themselves out of their religion. and if they decide not to apply it to religion, but do to everything else, it’s still a huge improvement.