Paper Towns | John Green | TEDxIndianapolis

John Green is the New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. He is also the coauthor, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson. He was 2006 recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award, a 2009 Edgar Award winner, and has twice been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Green's books have been published in more than a dozen languages.
In 2007, Green and his brother Hank ceased textual communication and began to talk primarily through videoblogs posted to KZbin. The videos spawned a community of people called nerdfighters who fight for intellectualism and to decrease the overall worldwide level of suck. (Decreasing suck takes many forms: Nerdfighters have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight poverty in the developing world; they also planted thousands of trees around the world in May of 2010 to celebrate Hank's 30th birthday.)
Although they have long since resumed textual communication, the brothers continue to upload two videos a week to their KZbin channel, Vlogbrothers. Their videos have been viewed more than 200 million times, and their channel is one of the most popular in the history of online video. Green has more than 1.2 million followers.
Big Idea: "The Paper Town Phenomenon"
When we think of education as a school-based phenomenon, we do a disservice both to students and to the rest of us. Green argues that we should imagine education as a kind of cartography, and discuss how online communities are helping to build learning maps that will encourage students. From KZbin to tumblr to the Khan Academy, the line between education and entertainment is blurring, and as these tools reach more and more people. The youth of today are quietly becoming the best-informed, most intellectually engaged generation in world history.

[@famichelle6728]

This is the slowest I've heard John talk

[@adioshra]

so the muggles can understand!Fa Michelle

[@Happymali10]

+Fa Michelle Well, this time, he wasn't in a rush. On his channel, according to himself, he's talking fast because he has so much to say in so little time.

[@TorsoManza]

+Max S. it's not like his vids have a time restriction

[@Happymali10]

TorsoManza Actually, they sort of do. Way back during the time of "Brotherhood 2.0" John and Hank agreed on a time-limit, which they have stuck to eversince.

[@porterlewis7503]

Sorry to be offtopic but does someone know a tool to log back into an Instagram account?? I stupidly lost my login password. I would love any assistance you can offer me.

[@annfabgirl7]

I think this video made me love John Green even more than I already do.

[@brie7859]

"I learned what iambic pentameter is, and WHY it SOUNDS so GOOD uPON your EARS." Like, what a masterpeice, John.

[@jeremiahfernandez9161]

like WHAT a MASterPIECE john GREEN. am i doing this right?

[@Entegas]

Just in case Jeremiah didn't understand / anyone else.

[@proefslak]

It's actually: and WHY it SOUNDS so GOOD to HUman EARS

[@maggiebrumar5706]

Can we take all of my teachers and switch them out for him please? I can listen and learn from him with ease!

[@AUnicorn666]

same

[@claireh8999]

I now have a whole new outlook on learning. Thanks, John Green.

[@FROPDESAI]

Claire H Check out his channel 'Crash course'.

[@FROPDESAI]

Claire H Check out his channel 'Crash course'.

[@LittleMsEinstein]

This is a totally different side of John than we normally see. I like it.

[@ladyluckaz]

Jesus John Green, I love you so much! You and Hank, and everyone in this expanding community! Yay for Green TedTalks!

[@alinoratamepoetry2664]

I just love that even in front of people at TED instead of a camera, John Green still manages to remember to be awesome.

[@Artemisss1]

That man is a very good talker as well as a writer. Inspirational. :)

[@peacefoodlove]

This TED talk thoroughly communicated the intellectual revolution on the internet that I feel so privileged to be a part of. I can't believe how lucky I was to stumble upon all these great channels. Learning on KZbin is literally just so much fun.

[@melfenn5455]

What a brilliant mind. KZbin as a classroom and learning community that is engaging rather than detached - awesome.

[@ramdomperson5201]

John inspires me to keep learning and growing every day.

[@rebeccamari]

So that's where the puppy-sized elephants came from...

[@girlfan]

Thanks for posting this. Been on like a binge of all these like john green interviews/speeches as a soundtrack to me writing my papers and just, I love hearing him talk about things like learning. So enjoyable to hear.

[@24dramafreak]

this reminds me about the greatest lesson john green ever taught me, which is i never hated learning, i hated the way i was taught. so now as a teenage kid im sitting at home watching educational videos and realizing why i loved history and literature as a kid growing up and it.terrifying and exciting at the same time. so thanks john :)

[@thebrittanyperson]

He basically summed up how I felt my entire educational career. I personally feel like I have learned more about what truly matters in this world from the vlogbrothers, crashcourse and scishow communities and the communities I have found through them than my years from Kindergarten through getting my B.A. Thank you for helping me make my own map. DFTBA.

[@sushmita.shakya]

John Green is already my hero and this talk only makes him more awesome.

[@recklesstenacity]

This man could teach me about anything and I would be fascinated. He is just a positive, smart, thoughtful (in both senses) person. I feel both smarter and not nearly smart enough every time he says something. I just want to listen to him talk and get excited about things.

[@PotatoTacoman]

He has such a natural gift to speak to people. I love to give speeches and he is my role model.

[@kura139]

Probably best TED Talk I have seen to date. DFTBA

[@AConMann]

What I find particularly interesting is the implications of these communities. I find myself personally struggling in a traditional educational sense, yet will spend hours watching minutephysics, scishow, and other channels. Perhaps the end result of such communities is a complete uprooting of these "traditional" education systems, leading us to have to redefine education as a concept. Fascinating subject matter.

[@SarahBrat3]

John you are the reason I am going to college and taking a very broad collection of classes. I've been a Nerdfighter since February 2007 I feel like you and Hank are family that I've never met. So much of who I have become is because of our community of learning. -Sarah Best Wishes

[@cyrocya1]

did not know he gave a ted talk

[@blinkfilms1]

I know!

[@themaskedninja763]

Right? I'm a rabid Nerdfighter and I had no idea about this!

[@johnholbrook6903]

Same, no clue at all! Happy to have stumbled across it.

[@JunSian1001]

wow this video is like 3 years old and I thought I watched all the videos that have John Green in it... lol

[@germanita]

+chris weatherby He gave another one, is now on the TED website!!

[@41_balisingh20]

Name of the talk "Paper Towns". For a min i thought that John will somehow entertain the advertisement for his book, but he goes on explaining the importance of education and accessibility the internet has provided us with, to understand and celebrate the intricate beauty of what and how an education is ought to be..Hats off !

[@97tmf]

What an inspiration. John Green has taught me so much through his videos and books.

[@leinejean2238]

I showed my English teacher one of John Green's videos. She's now completely changed our next unit and is teaching with his videos.

[@JibJabJamFan]

John I love you. I love you for all of the right reasons because you are a wonderful and brilliant person. Listening to you has opened me up to all of these ideas and experiences that I had never had before. You have greatly impacted my life in such a positive way and for that I am grateful. Thank you John, I will be watching your video on Tuesday

[@suzannepriebe602]

I love the community of learners concept. I think I will show most of this to my 8th grade students this fall. I want my classroom to be a community of learners who inquire, search, and share. Thanks, John Green.

[@IYQ1317]

I swear, we take our eyes off John for two seconds and he goes off and does a TED Talk. I saw this as a recommended video and was so surprised I hadn't heard about it!

[@ilikeaeroplanejelly1]

it's so cool to watch him without cut scenes every 2-3 seconds... it's not really that different except that the camera doesn't cut... shows he's a brilliant speaker, not just a brilliant vlogger and author... JOHN, you inspire me to be better at everything!

[@michaelmiller8614]

Is it just me who thought john sounded different

[@famichelle6728]

Michael Miller no

[@Robbythegod]

+Michael Miller It's the Microphone I think, makes him sound like he has a lisp

[@ricardoaldecoa7522]

He might had gone to the dentist days before

[@Bluejeanne1]

when he started speaking i thought i heard homer haha

[@rizandro]

Yes!

[@snitox]

KZbin should make a way for us to favorite a discussion in the comments

[@Sporkredfox]

Yeah, the comment system has become really bad

[@jdelmastro6169]

probably the best ted talk I have ever heard, thank you John Green. hope you get invited back.

[@Tweeba22]

A year ago I found a TED video that complete changed my perspective on how I lived my life and then a few months later I discovered John and Vlogbrothers who gave me the courage I needed to go out and really do something and make those changes. They created a support group for awesome and for that I am eternally grateful. DFTBA my friends.

[@whydidyousay5minutes]

That was a good talk. It had all of the strong talking points of a great speech and was all connected. This is how i learn. From seeing the people admire preform in there strong suit to see how much they can do and from where they came. Thank you john green for everything you have done to teach me.

[@jayhongchew4408]

An Imperial Affliction appears in the poem at 6:42... TFIOS

[@Counter_Magic]

Also the reference to little infinities.

[@JonDurf]

Well said John!! You and the other KZbin educators have helped me finally enjoy watching online videos and not feel like I am wasting my life away on mind numbing and useless topics. I had been craving the idea of returning to college but the endless hours of droning lectures and the late nights of homework don't work for an adult with a career. Thank you for all you do and keep up the amazing work.

[@stratoge]

*watching a random ted talk* (hm I wonder if John Green was on ted before) and here you are!

[@irishcoco725]

John Green has a way to always have a well thought out and interesting discourse!

[@TorkildKahrs]

The puppy sized elephants are actually a nerdfighter phenomenon altogether. In "The Return of Question Tuesdays" John answers wherther he'd like to have a puppy sized elephant or an elephant sized puppy. The answer is obvious. For further information, take a look at "A Short History of the PUPPY SIZED ELEPHANT".

[@famichelle6728]

Torkild Kahrs Someone must've said elephant sized puppy, otherwise Clifford wouldn't exist

[@justmeeameet]

I saw this first on the TED app. But it was only apt that I watched it again on KZbin and left a comment on this. I am one of those very keen not-so-young learners. In fact, I have learnt more from Ted, KZbin and the Internet in general. Not to mention courses on Coursera and Futurelearn. Well said John Green!

[@othersuchshenanigans]

I'm in love with the combining of all these concepts. Online educational videos, communities, curiosity and self-motivation to learn, maps, change, hurdles, and ironic detachment - it's like, this talk symbolizes what the millennial generation has the potential to be.

[@morgan-emilymusic9740]

I could listen to this man all day!

[@gemmaramsey2695]

SAME!!!!!!

[@Quirkney]

I'm a teenager. I managed to get to college at 16, I'm 18 and almost done with my first degree. It's a design major, still it has taken a lot of work. But would you believe that I have been on that campus for two years and only met one other person who really went there to learn all they could? One. If I had not found the community the vlogbrothers had started I think I would have thought that was normal and okay. They teach a love of learning. The one of the greatest lessons ever.

[@Andythespacekid]

DFTBA

[@matthewgoodman7588]

YES!!

[@silverreads1783]

I disliked Paper Towns the novel but I thoroughly enjoyed Paper Towns the Ted Talk. Interesting

[@lilfroggyfrog]

How have I never seen this before!? Once again, John inspires me with his beautiful & ambitious words.

[@alexisbinch2643]

I have been noticing that my interest in learning has heightened since I found these learning communities John Green was talking about. I love that I have so much information and ideas at my fingertips. It is truly amazing and inspirational. :)

[@BaluKskanattil]

An inspiring talk. Just made my day.

[@ntcssj]

I never realized how Agloe was pronounced! I always called it Ah-glee-oh for some reason. Every time I hear John in talks such as these my faith in humanity is restored and I'm completely inspired. DFTBA!

[@ThomasOverMany]

What's even more fascinating about Green's theory of KZbin being the best teaching tool on the internet (I would have to agree) is the fact that he left out Khan Academy, which started with Salman Khan creating KZbin videos for his family and eventually led to a website that teaches millions every year, and even to this day the website still uses links to KZbin videos to teach across the world.

[@Kierfnen]

It's longer than 4 minutes... Punishment!!! In all seriousness it was a great talk, though it's kind of disorenting that TED has multiple channels, I wish I had found this sooner.

[@jcl123ful]

His level of understanding as seen through his work (videos, novels, etc) never fails to amaze me

[@RagginDragon13]

Hank Green and TED in one single space! I love it!

[@amrabousaab9103]

Thank you so much, John green and of course ted x for that community of learning you made for us.. As i seek many things every time i see this video again, and hope is one of these things.. Of course to rebuild my faith in learning communities in syira with your help.

[@Syaoran69]

I like that the sound quality on the crash course video was better than John just talking through a microphone.

[@constantgamer247]

John Green is super cool for interacting so directly with his audience. I'm super addicted to VlogBrothers and all of their other content!

[@IchigoPinkuStar]

Thanks John Green, As I always do, I appreciate whatever you have to teach us as a society.

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

"They literally put nooses on themselves and went to their jobs" Hey, John, mind if I use this quote?

[@madlibbs111]

I completely agree with John's point that he "became a learner"when he was surrounded by people who valued engagement and educated debate and intellectualism. I graduated from high school two weeks ago, so it has been common recently for me to think about how far I have come. I was fortunate enough to be accepted to my dream school, and I have to wonder how this time before college might have been different if my parents and schools hadn't taught me that learning and being intelligent was cool.

[@symbiosister]

I've noticed this too not just in education and learning, but in a lot of other things, perhaps it's simply the personal knowledge of what it is not to have whatever is gained, in this case knowledge, that makes people more motivated to seek it out

[@somewony]

Not specifically art, but ideachannel talks about art sometimes and it is truly awesome, with the host responding to interesting comments in the next video.

[@usorenji]

Very proud Nerdfighter John, I will never forget to be awesome thanks to you and Hank

[@yawmang]

Halleluiah, John Green on TEDx Talks!!!!! :) Best wishes, Yaw Mang

[@NikitaDlima]

Just finished reading the book after so many years. I'm 19 now. I slept through his Internet presence for so long but I can't wait to catch up on everything I've been missing :)

[@SHSZKERO]

Wow, I never knew John did TED talk. As always, he is very inspirational.

[@Thorn104]

John has always been my favorite speaker... right beside Adam Savage .. the best speakers

[@EllaABo]

John, you are a wonderful human being and I like the words that come out of your mouth.

[@HaveIGotMuseForYou]

What a briliant talk, very cool and interesting guy! Not only is John Green a Swindon Town Swoodilipooper, but a geography hero! Could he be any more awesome!

[@jasoncromwell4206]

Glad this was longer than four minutes. Great speech John.

[@cecasander]

Another thing the four youtube video's have in common: they rely heavily on graphics to illustrate what was said. I think that this is a key component about why such video's make it possible to learn things while watching and thus make things like this an exciting new learning tool.

[@mollyclune]

I need to pay more attention to my TED subscriptions...can't believe I missed this when it popped up!

[@NateHoyle]

Leave it to John Green to completely revolutionize my views on education. ...In the first five minutes of a conference. I feel sad that I didn't have the same sort of experience in my high school or college. It was all hurdles. But I'm looking forward to one day teaching my future kids that they don't have to jump over those arbitrary benchmarks. I'm looking forward to exploring those strips of land on the horizon together.

[@clintmiller5123]

Totally spending the rest of my college experience more interested in watching John Green and other KZbinrs than learning in College.

[@mathilda8558]

John, I enjoyed this much more than I rationally should have. I love how you stringed together various facts, ideas and experiences in order to make one very compelling point. I'm sure you'll never forget to be awesome - just continue ;)

[@wolf92193]

Best TED-talk ever. Of all time.

[@zaw408]

this is by far from the best videos I have watched that featured JOHN :D

[@Ladyofthestacks]

I showed this to my mum who is now completely obsessed with John Green as much as I

[@MrsJawes99]

Thank you John Green for reminding me why I love learning and for teaching me so many cool things.

[@gill8695]

That has to be one of the best summaries of how the education system fails, and what KZbin and other places like it on the internet are re-establishing learning over test results as the way to educate.

[@Geoshi]

How was this not big news? This is AWESOME

[@klovisy3058]

John Green is a great teacher

[@JayBayBay68]

So much of this talk is found within The Fault in Our Stars

[@BoldOpal]

I now realize that this is the very reason that I come to the internet. I am looking for something new to learn, to ingest, to understand about this amazing and complex world. This is why my watch later playlist has things like "Revelation of the Pyramids" and "Engineering an Empire - Russia". I have always wondered at what it would be like to join the philosophers of old at a table of discussion, but now I realize that I have already joined the ones of my own day and age right here.

[@workaholic888]

I absolutely respect and adore this person.

[@rrpwiii]

Thanks for being awesome Mr. Green.

[@myeahmalalis3206]

Im glad i saw this!!

[@ashtuatara]

Anyone else see "An Imperial Affliction" in the poem?"

[@MarieSueMax]

Hilarity!!!

[@heapsmadgirl]

Did he just use the word "scrabblization"? This is why I LOVE JOHN GREEN!

[@juliahcornell]

I just finished my first John Green novel. Even though it should have been rated R or something, what I have to say is "oh, John. Just... Brilliant. Brilliant."

[@FlyingChicken99]

The picture if his boarding school behind him at 5:12... You can see the swan in the lake

[@TheKasd3]

This is one of the most inspirational ways of looking at learning. I love it!!!

[@AngelofAmbrosia]

"Little infinities" made me smile. :)

[@Mad.E]

John makes me think that KZbin is even more awesome, than I already thought it was !

More than student, we are learnings ImI NERFIGHTERS♥ You're amazing John:D

[@enfjftw]

I'm proud to be subscribed to all 4 of those channels

[@PhobeBarrymore]

I love this man.

[@missfuneralsong]

I'm always, always astonished by what a thoughtful and funny and articulate and truly interesting public speaker John is, astonished in the best possible way. It makes me feel like my social anxieties aren't such an obstacle after all. Also: DFTBA.

[@katebelcher5]

TED and john green omg my favourite things at once

[@coolchic97]

John, you speak such sweet sweet words.