Philippe Starck: Design and destiny

www.ted.com Designer Philippe Starck -- with no pretty slides to show -- spends 18 minutes reaching for the very roots of the question "Why design?" Listen carefully for one perfect mantra for all of us, genius or not.
TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers are invited to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, politics and the arts. Watch the Top 10 TEDTalks on TED.com, at
www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

[@rodbryans4929]

I saw this presentation not long after it came out. It's still one of the best TED talks available. He get's all of his ideas over by simply talking. He holds the audiences attention with gallic charm but his stories are illuminating and on point. Excellent.

[@pmborris]

you have re said what he stated. What he was talking about was evolution. That evolution is in our hands, we must give the tools to the people around us and let them innovate and invent new ideas, design and etc. The future is in our hands and we must never think that we are the only ones out there, but to instead create a story that will hopefulyl continue this evolution of society for the next 4 billion years.

[@Celax2]

Beware of the trap...love the analogy of the "angle of vision"...a good speaker is someone that expresses their idea in very practical and simply way and that's what Philippe.

[@liquid177]

I am glad this was posted here on youtube.. because this is amazing.

[@arshjha6748]

Really enjoyed this, especially the " Angle of Vision "

[@boydism08]

Really inspiring. Major influence in my artwork. Thanks so much.

[@patrickbourne3819]

Aww I love this guy!

[@drawitout]

What a lovely person!

[@antonshvydkyi8551]

He is indeed a funny person. But the funniest part is that in the designer world he is considered as the best "pretty maker".. His juicer is barely usable.

[@drawitout]

I said lovely, but sure. He's got a funny personality, I guess.

[@jezzmoto]

I also studied ID, I always enjoyed Starks communication through his work but today was the first time I actually heard him speak. For all the stuff that is produced in this world I still don't understand why there is a shroud of mystery around the design profession.

[@hungry4danish]

He has the most comical, stereotypically French accent I've ever heard.

[@pax4370]

Its ll intentional...its sells in his buisness targets.

[@sesdeux]

this is the talk that convinced me years (6-7) ago that there are VERY valuable talks on TED

[@keostef]

Les designers sont les philosophes d'aujourd'hui... Thank you Mr Starck

[@katherinaang]

i like the way he start his talk, cos he was attract me to listen what will his going to said!!

[@PauloQueirozJS]

Nice concept!

[@raphaelmorais89]

I study Industrial Design and I admit I'm not a big fan of Starck and there is things I dont agree with him. But this was a very good speech, very funny, he shared is ideas. very good.

[@cooled0quoin]

love youuu!

[@MrSottobanco]

He could get a job as a stand-up comedian.

[@tranzco1173]

I always thought that Americans and the English were the best at stand up, but this guy and other Europeans, like Slavos Zizek, and even some Germans, Brazilians, and Asian born people are really very overtly funny nowadays.

[@insidestilllife]

simply magnificent view of life

[@wavy1972]

loved it

[@rallimb486]

this guy had me in tears 😆

[@designcyprus]

is there english version or subtitles for this ?

[@robert85085]

i love his watches too :D

[@Reinos]

regardless of all this, the simple fact remains that God is so many things to so many people. If some want to attribute design and existence to God/muse/etc., then so be it! same if people want to attribute it to their own talent and skill, again, so be it! in the end, we all are viewing the world through our own filters and lenses. I say this: bravo to those who are willing to think about these things, for their ideas give us inspiration to further ourselves, for better or worse.

[@lscanaan]

I love his accent, makes me laugh everytime. He's a genius on design, though.

[@YesItsMeGuys68]

OUTSTANDING !!!!!!

[@phillipborja]

crazy guy but brilliant... absolutely a genius

[@patfar392]

I adore his accent 💕

[@brianbridiu]

truly a genius!

[@pandavancer]

I like how he say IMAGINE :)

[@SH0dah]

I feel that he is a good company or even a lecturer at uni

[@voiceofreason1663]

I liked that he designed the Ghost chair. I want to be a designer like him

[@nyams8]

If you google "Ted philippe starck thinks deep on design", you'll go into the "original video" where you can set any language on the subtitles i think. English subtitles are for sure, I just checked. Enjoy!

[@ludovicquillet2119]

watch on ludovic quillet(modern table design)thank you

[@raphaelmorais89]

We [designers] work FOR the future. And design is about Fashion, graphics, products, etc etc so... absolutely.

[@crudhousefull]

This guy is incredibly clever. French people are real philosophers, so great

[@Marco-il6kn]

like him!

[@Dumass88]

@mnewlyn What do you mean whit a blank canvas?

[@hoangdes]

I like it...

[@roby99]

totaly himself, authentic!!!!

[@poushk]

I only see beautiful interfaces, and a lot of thick surfaces and yes I know it's a project but microsoft or not, that's what I see when I'm talking about the future of design, these thick tactile surfaces with well designed interfaces are already here

[@121bradm]

Interesting assignment

[@forget114]

i cant hear completely what he says.. is there a subtitled version of this vid?

[@berniecarlsson]

more cool philippe starck talk if you search the mind of a leader channel on youtube he's amazing!

[@helenabeat8592]

"We are God now." Well said, sir.

[@hui975]

Hello. I am starting with my diploma project in my college. Could you help me make an outstanding diploma project?

[@tatianatoutikian8432]

who is the owner of this mouse

[@Dumass88]

@mnewlyn I think he refers to our species and all our problems ahead. I think he means that mankind have to unite to reasch our next evolutionary step and avoid killing our own species for short term gain.

[@poushk]

When I said design will be dead soon, I was talking about the minimalists lines of an ipod for exemple! I can draw just a cube with 3 buttons and sell it as an mp4 device. Starck said himself, design is useless, yeah he really said that, he also said that he will stop design in two years, publicity stunt? I don't think so

[@sexdrugsRnR]

pretty good speech from a designer...

[@kelydivine]

he's a genius as designer, but as a speaker..., was terribly hard to understand him

[@RaneeNiNi]

也有中文翻譯喔~

[@nzcatt]

But the fact that it is so simple is purely BECAUSE apple have invested so much money into it's design. Look at the original iPod, then compare it with the current model. Jonathan Ive and his team have been working hard DESIGNING to make the interface as clean and simple as possible. The fact that the design is invisible is testament to the amount of design work that has gone into this product.

[@GeorgeI]

Is that a surprise? No, I know beyond the shadow of any doubt there is God behind beauty and all of creation - it's the most fundamental point every one of those "genius" scientists, designers, and other professionals at TED miss so badly - the obvious intelligence behind the most complex and beautiful natural world including ourselves.

[@NavesNiche]

True

[@Dumass88]

Haha, this guy is such a cool dude. Starck, like many other speakers on TED, i would like to meet, not to discuss with. Just to listen.

[@nzcatt]

@poushk That's hilarious, name one instance where technology has superseded design. Design and technology are not competitors, they are collaborators. Without design, our technology would be awkward and emotionless. Good design is not simply making something look pretty after it has been fully developed technologically.

[@alexis4996]

love this french accent it is so funny!!!... today to not do it is more positive than do it :)))

[@breaneainn]

supere munekey

[@poushk]

haha I would be glad to show you my portfolio, and in the same time take look at yours.

[@poushk]

nah that's not what I was trying to say its form is so minimalist you can't do it more simple... check the video "Microsoft sustainability" that's all I got to say about this...

[@poushk]

the bigger comes thicker and thicker! I mean how will an ipod nano look in 10 years keeping the same options? it will come thicker, maybe his size will be divide by 3, ... it's still design but I really think that one day technology will permit us to have that's what I was tryign to point I know there will always be designers, we need them I was exagerating a lil bit, i'm not crazy

[@tetromeda]

which facts would that be?

[@Tangofanatic]

Come again?

[@121bradm]

At least he describes his claims

[@6sushi9]

Saying that God is behind behind beauty is disrespectful for the work of these people. I'm not accusing or saying that you being a beliver, or for that matter anybody else being a beliver, is a bad thing!Just want to point that out, totally respect your ideas and belives.

[@freshotto]

EVERY person that had a REAL-LIFE-CHANGING experience of God and faith, experienced inside himself and through the people around him, never looking up towards a big problem solver. If you never had this experience (yet) it's OK, you are fine...but do not pretend you know what you talk about.

[@Dumass88]

@mnewlyn Somehow i don't think that i what he meant. Although his english is far from perfect, so who knows.

[@raphaelmorais89]

I see... well, this is a moment of crisis and in any moment will change completely, so... you should do what would you like to do. do you like Design? Join the club!

[@GeorgeI]

I respect your point of view. However my statement below has nothing to do with disrespecting designers' work. Notice below I'm talking about the creation, i.e. the natural world, the VERY beautiful world from which these very designers take inspiration (ever seen Ross Lovegrove's work?) and give 0 credit to the source of all nature - God the Creator. I believe it was Sir Isaac Newton who said that he only needs to look at one finger to understand that God is behind its marvelous design.

[@leborico]

not sure, all my french friends speak like that :)

[@longnamesaredumb]

wish i could understand what hes saying..

[@apexxxx10]

Achtung Bangkok Calling! Does Starck need captions/ subtitles? Yes. Even the Mumbai Indians and S'poreans have captions when interviewed on BBC. Yes captions. 'Cause their beuatiful accdents are so hard to understand. Dr John (Francophone) Bangkok CarSanook ( dot com)

Mullets and Dallas re-runs. "he is on ... this myself" That was the most sickening thing I've read in some time.

[@nzcatt]

Are you trying to say there is no design in the iPod? Minimalism isn't the absence of design, it's the absence of embellishment. Embellishment DOES NOT EQUAL design.

[@fviconte1554]

Un accent ? Quel accent ? Pour une fois qu'il y en a un qui parle un anglais que je comprends facilement !!! ... and now, write your comments in french, just for fun ;))

[@lousalm8152]

mdr, c'est grave ça, il parle un anglais que je comprend pas trop vite

[@DerekTJ]

Did you thumb me down? I thumbed you up. So what's your favourite of god's great designs?

[@sorzanx]

people who are famous but crazy They are called Genius. howver people who are Genius but unknown are called crazy....there is a mutant in craziness and there is genius in Mutant. maybe God is crazy? genius? creator?... maybe earth was mutant that cross the line...then became a life. mabe we crazy enough to say there is a God. thats wat i learned from him... n i would like to be called crazy.

[@antodicia7]

ma che lingua parla? :) I like him ;)

[@danielblaze4112]

French

[@6sushi9]

I'm sorry but I have to desagree: I'm not a beliver, I'm an atheist and I respect all kinds of religions. The fact that I found not right is that you have the tendendency to see God, or every other entity, in all the human achievements. You are not able to separate the two things: it doesn't mean that if a designer or an architect or a painter makes a great, beautiful and astonishing work that's because of God: it's just because of the person's ability and hard work.

[@leborico]

He reminds me of coluche :)

[@zeffii]

comedy classic!

[@Ozacostaj]

Agreed. But don't blame him, blame the school system. Until recently, english wasn't a priority there. National pride, anglophobia, call it what you want.

[@mahesharnav237]

Fucking awesome !!

[@GeorgeI]

Well you're free to do just that - and you have a pretty simple choice: either open your mind to the obvious intelligence in created things all around you, or remain the "God police" that you decided to play.

[@GoProSecond]

i think he is overdoing the accent a bit!

[@zenoweed]

If you just look past the accent youll get stuff

[@TheGoodContent37]

I was waiting for him to have a heart attack :|

[@evaristo68]

If degs iss a cynicall and fantasy disaigneg... it is Stark himself! And He is pretty good at it. I do value the contribution of flamboyant irreverent designers such as Stark. But "entertrainment" design can only go so far. I find it hard to see the long term contribution that designers such as Stark could make not only to fashion, but to industry itself. He is actually one of the most arrogant designers I have heard.... even for a French man!!!!

[@poushk]

nah I never said that sorry

[@TibtheBear]

@sweetandtasty he spread like poison yea

[@nzcatt]

Microsoft don't know anything about uncluttered interfaces that they haven't learned from Apple's success, that's why they can't sell the Zune. Nevertheless, if you can't see the amount of design that has gone into the products in the video you mentioned, then you are a lost cause.

[@oliverjackson8610]

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@poushk]

design will be dead soon, technology is killing it, i meanin a good way just like the oled technology (a screen on a surface as thick as paper!!)

[@samjones6737]

My friend was filming this with an android. I think you know where im going with this

[@khash13]

some good points (which are partially mentioned in the comments) and some bad points as well... I didn't get what he means by " we are the god" ... if he literally means what he said I disagree cuz as he said we are limited. the ideology of God is that God isn't limited. It's possible to change the definitions like to say God is the powerful one. but it just cuz confusion and sometimes insults some people.

[@Crilic3]

I came here to learn about what you know of design. Not about the evolutionary theory.

[@kashyapdevareddy4087]

evolutionary theory helps you understand design... What are you talking about?!?

[@kashyapdevareddy4087]

Also, this was a talk to understand the point of design in one's life. Be a little more observant ...

[@rejathanair389]

Thats one more reason why he is the best designer in the world

[@mostantoosha]

I follow TED in multiple languages so i dont mind the langage and i am quite open minded to new ideas, in addition i am a designer, Yet, this is the worst TED lecture i have seen so far, no point no clue, the guy is funny but misinformed of many facts of life.

[@xsansax]

USE YOUR MONEY TO DO SOMETHING IMPORTANT PHILLIPE. THAT WAY YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE BY DESIGNING TOILETTE BRUSHES!! ALL THE CINICS WILL BUY EM

[@Myr0n]

You need design for technology. Stop talking about things you don't know about.

[@ljubog]

I think this guy needs to get familiar with some postmodern and anarcho-primitivist ideas. He could use some rethinking about concepts of progress, civilisation... Also, to live in a civilisation and to leave a blank page to the offspring is an oxymoron, but if he's thinking abolishing the school system, count me in!

[@aleceth]

why 2012? the aztec end of the world?