TEDxMidwest - Phil Zimbardo - Heroes

Renown psychologist Phil Zimbardo examines the basic principles of Everyday Heroism. In doing so he investigates practical ways in which average people can enter into extraordinary good through small actions, and a little bit of courage. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@mchugha]

I shared this with my son's Principal at public school. We need more advocacy against bullying which is far more prevalent than heroes. Good people are a noble outlier, and perception matters.

[@pepehorhae]

i have promised myself that at least once in a summer time i would go and give away things i have to poor people be it food or clothes or anything. I realized that loving myself doesn't give me reward and it only makes me lonely.. but the moment i've seen inspirational people like Gandhi and Mother Teresa and Dr. Martin Luther King stand up for something and do something about it, i have been addicted to this concept of heroism ever since. I may not know the scientific explanation but really.. it feels good to be lost in other people by helping them. I may not be paid with greens but i am paid in the fact that i was able to help. Thus I made a promise to myself that after I pass law school and earn from it, I'm gonna use parts of my wealth to feed to poor! But as of now since i'm only a student i'm just going to stick to helping anyone and being here for people in my capacity. As what Morgan Freeman said in Evan almighty "You wan't to change the world son? One act of Random Kindness at a time". Sir thank you for this video! Blessings to your campaign and acts of kindness! we need people like you more than the vain and egocentric!

[@jodybeskinirutherfordcoanimal]

Great teachings, love your great work Doc Zimbardo !

[@TrainingForSuccess2]

Inspiring. So many ways we can all play bigger and make a greater difference. Watch the video and be a hero.

[@BrendanShea]

I'd love to get this with Korean subtitles to tie it in with a series of lessons I do on heroism.

[@korpakukac]

Today I tried to be a hero and save an old lady yelling for help from a gypsy that was harrassing her and everyone was just bystanding. Result: Lady saved and I got a few punches. (luckily not a knife) Noone tried to help me. Noone. All it would have taken is a single guy bystanding next to me to stand up for me. Then the gypsy would have ran away. So you can be a hero. But heroes die alone.

[@jair333]

The world is filled with more cowards than brave people. Dont let that detract you from helping others, im sure the lady was extremely grateful and that's all that matters. That could have easily been your grandmother, im sure you would want someone to help her in that situation.

[@korpakukac]

Jc333 She did not even say a tiny thanks...

[@CultofThings]

You're comment is very true. You have to know the costs of being a hero and then choose to do the right thing anyway. The main reason is that when you look back on your life, the only thing that will not make your life feel worthless, is knowing you helped make others happy or create something that would. So in that sense, you may die alone, but Id rather go down fighting bullies then to become one.

[@stormythewoof3703]

+korpakukac you don't get it mate. you see an old lady getting fucked by a gypsy, the correct response is to laugh your ass off and be happy that they leave you alone!

[@korpakukac]

Kun Chien The sad thing is that you are probably right, just without the laughing...

[@PaulTheillusionist]

Brilliant!

[@sudhirpatel7620]

Every time I tried to help strangers in trouble, my dad would say: why you getting involved and bringing trouble to the family.

[@yuy2375]

tell him, "prove it"

[@DANLIAOFreeToLearnChinese]

Quote [According to Kant, what make an action morally worthy, consists not in the consequences or in the results that flow from it. What makes an action morally has to do with the motive,with the quality of will, with the intention for which the act is done. What matters is the motive. Moral worth of action depends on motive. Doing the right thing for the right reason] by Michael Sandel

[@Tschoo]

you just want to cuddle this guy, really

[@ohgin12345]

So this is actually the standard of Standord

[@kittyfogz6683]

I can't find the online videos he mentions...does anyone know where they are?

[@585cookiee585]

I know it's late, but is it HeroicImaginationTV on YT?

[@lolataylor9158]

phil have my children!!!!!

[@JuricaF]

i must make experiment with black dot on my forhead !

[@joecitizen6755]

Phil avoids the main psychological issue today ... "hyper-empathy".

[@DavidEmerling79]

I think the term "hero" is bantered around too readily in today's society. I often hear people say that _everybody_ who serves in the military is a "hero". Are they really? To me, the label "hero" should be used more sparingly and in a more discerning manner. Heroes are rare - not common. This causes me to think what the criteria for a "hero" might be. In my opinion, in order for a person to perform an heroic act, this act must have ALL of the following characteristics. 1. The act must be good. In other words, you cannot be an heroic serial killer or a heroic bank robber. There is no such thing as an heroic act of evil. This is usually an easily obtained criterion. But, in itself, it is not sufficient. Donating your clothing to the homeless, although an act of goodness, hardly makes you a hero. It makes you a compassionate person. Or were just trying to clear out your closet? 2. You must have a choice. In other words, if the _only_ option was to do what you did - no matter how seemingly heroic - if it was your _only_ recourse - you are not a hero. An example is Captain Sullenberger, the pilot who landed his passenger jet in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all his passengers - and his _own_ life. He is often hailed as a hero. I think it's fair to say that he is a very competent pilot who made an excellent decision under very difficult circumstances. But what choice did he have? Had it been another pilot, not Captain Sullenberger, wouldn't they have done the same thing? Or, at least _tried_ to do the same thing? And, if they fail, does that make them _less_ heroic? No! It makes them a less competent aviator. Fire fighters and police officers often do not have a choice to perform their "heroic" acts. It's their job! People might ask, "Couldn't a school teacher be a hero? They teach young children and it changes the course of their lives. Teachers are often unsung heroes." No! They are not! It's their _job_ to teach and exhibit good citizenship to their students. Being an outstanding teacher, in itself, does not make you a hero. It makes you an outstanding teacher. Doing your job well is not heroic. 3. Every heroic act must involve some level of risk. One might be putting themselves in physical danger, their reputation might be tarnished or their credibility destroyed. The person takes action _despite_ these known risks. If there is no downside to the act, then the act cannot be heroic no matter how much good it serves. 4. The act must be selfless. If the motivation for taking certain action (no matter how risky) is, "I might make a lot of money if I do this" or "I could write a book and be famous" then the act is not heroic. 5. The act must be purposeful. You cannot be an accidental hero. In other words, if you take some action that, at the time, you didn't realize that the outcome would be something extraordinary - then the act is not heroic. 6. And that leads me into the final criterion. The outcome of an heroic act has to be very meaningful or extraordinary. I have heard it said, "Heroes are extraordinary people often doing ordinary things." I disagree! That sets the bar far low for *_heroism_*. You cannot be a hero simply because you are _willing_ to do something heroic. You have to actually _do_ it. All six of these have to be met by a true hero. Heroes are rare individuals. Calling everybody who does something good "a hero" dilutes the true meaning of the word and takes away from those who are _truly_ heroes - extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. There are not many of them.

[@3lit3gn0m3]

+David Emerling I think being a 'hero' is a momentary thing where you do something extraordinary to affect someone else in a positive manner. From that point on, you are a hero to that person, but I do think that wearing it as a title is a bit misleading. If a soldier in the military saves a comrade, he is a hero to that life, and the lives affected by it. To them, he is a 'hero', but to ask others to say the same might be disingenuous and lack meaning. That said, while I feel your take is a bit too stringent, I agree with your point on a fundamental level.

[@varunkapur5640]

David Emerling agree with you sir, you have summarised the essence brilliantly!

[@whosaid2]

David Emerling there's all kinds of overused words and cliches. As a perfectionist myself, in regards to Sullenberger especially, your standards are way too high. His lifelong passion was to be a pilot. In the movie at least he was 2nd guessed by the FAA?, too. You say if another pilot tried and failed would he be less heroic? How can he be less heroic if you don't say Sullenberger is a hero in the 1st place ? Sullenberger said it will never happen again & I believe him. If you read his autobiography, what he is proudest of are his 2 daughters and the focus of his book. I don't remember him saying he wanted that hero label. Hope you have more than a bible if that happens on 1 of your next flights . The dictionary definition of hero is a lot shorter, c'mon.

[@unknownbenefactor5687]

David Emerling agreed. Soldiers, teachers and police officers are outstanding citizens no less, but they aren’t automatically Heroes. Heroes go above and beyond what is asked of them. No one should be commended for doing what is asked of them, they should be commended for doing what no one else would.

[@yuy2375]

go watch my hero academia

[@Kujien]

0:27 Bars

[@levizjaperdije8499]

Atheism to the end

[@pujapandey6468]

Gulmohur?

[@jessexisting933]

this is a really good speech but the fact its part of a school assignment i have to do kinda ruins it.

[@savagefnck147]

Same

[@savagefnck147]

I have to write atleast 2 page essay to show that I understand the banality of heroism, why did the authors wrote it, and provide real life examples

[@jessexisting933]

savage fnck yeah, I had to do something similar but I just skipped around the video and wrote a few short sentences lol

[@gluttonforpun]

does he think someone in the ted audience hasn't heard of stanford?

[@mathewbrown9890]

gluttonforpun I haven't

[@TheMento98]

It's always wise to go into a teaching moment assuming your audience knows nothing rather than anything even if it is annoying. After all your own comment makes the assumption that everyone in the TED audience knows what Stanford is. Same coin different sides so to speak.

[@tawermeister99]

Two people hate their lives

[@LifeLikeSage]

Close minded bullshit comment, unable to see that there can be fallacies in what the man says that dislikes on the video bring attention to. Assuming that a dislike means you disagree with everything or the main premise. *idiot*

[@MrGrapha]

Een land dat van werk naar werk roleerd bedrijf naar bedrijf dan kan je je eigen land helemaal zien snap je dat

[@andrewlau6625]

666 likes

[@racangela2995]

Nobody signed Up for this At all!

[@racangela2995]

Hero thats all they are looking for… sacrifice? Really?

[@harrypearle9781]

TRUMPISM now 2024! IDEA CONTESTS might help to find lessons that can wake up TRUMPSTERS, now ================================================================== TNX

[@jasonmorgan27]

I refuse to send my 18 year old to college because of the mass communist victim indoctrination. If we had professors like Phil today it would be a different story

[@georgiosraikos3407]

Dr Philip Zimbardo who run the STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT should not have legal clearance to run either "shows" or sell books on his self-imagined cruelty. He is simply insane as well as a felon.

[@jasonmorgan27]

explain, how?