What we lose when we let languages and cultures die | Bruno Beidacki | TEDxKentState

The overall theme of Bruno's idea is the importance of preserving cultures and traditions in ever-changing societies. Thousands of languages and cultures have disappeared throughout history due to aspects such as colonization, change in power, and population decrease. In a world that is changing faster than it ever did, culture-extinction becomes even more of a real issue. Without a region's culture and tradition, its population can face identity crisis, and that's what Bruno has found in his research and reporting over the last few months. Bruno Beidacki is a Brazilian journalist, writer, and storyteller based in the United States. He has worked for the CBS News’ true-crime show 48 Hours, the CBS News Investigative Unit and most recently been a Pulitzer Center crisis reporting fellow in Macau, where he reported on the dangers of the extinction of Portuguese culture and language in the region. Bruno is devoted to the process of language learning and has done extensive traveling in order to explore cultural preservation efforts; he visited more than two dozen countries in the process, and plans on continuing to do so. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@yiddzin7318]

That was a good speech alright. Taught me a lot. And I agree with his opinions too.

[@cornellwaters9089]

🌎 Thank You!

[@dandash9870]

The problem with all this is that even if our societies become multilingual, they'll likely learn languages that are already widely spoken like English or Spanish. The languages that are threatened to go extinct are spoken by very few people, usually less than 1000 people. The only way I see to preserve these languages is by encouraging these communities to pass them on to the next generation, but it's unfortunately highly unlikely because of the economic cost and globalization.

[@dandash9870]

@The Prophet Truth I understand that colonization and forced assimilation are part of the problem we see today, but nowadays people are choosing to speak these languages because of how widespread they are. English for example is the go-to language to learn because of America's power economically and culturally. So it appears to me that the process of language extinction in the 21st century is happening voluntarily through soft power rather than coercive forces. Anyways, I hope that indigenous cultures like yours survive this process and stay strong.

[@jcdenton631]

@@dandash9870 just be capitalist but play more for your "team". Many go to western nations not to assimilate but to earn and send some back.

[@dandash9870]

@@jcdenton631 I think you can both assimilate AND still maintain your cultural background, I don't see a problem with that. The issue is more connected to the value of said culture when so few people are a part of it. I think that's what alienates these peoples from their cultures and makes it difficult for them to survive and thrive in a globalized economy.

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

Too many languages = poverty. Language diversity is what hurts some countries such as India or china. How are you supposed to be unified when you can't speak to all of your country men. If you speak a minority language you're more likely to remain poor for the rest of your life.

[@AmazingStoryDewd]

@@jcdenton631 That's part of the problem

[@vaaestheticsclass6032]

Awesome stuff.

[@-HuyMinh-A]

Why do we need to preserve a language (3 reasons the speaker mentions in the video)

[@e.t.theextraterristrial837]

Languages die but that doesn't mean we can't learn about the history, latin is dead but we still know about it history and have experts who can read it

[@user-zo3wy4we3t]

I think he wanted the knowledge in the perception of the living linguist who spoke latin or etc

[@aiishataal]

latin is popular and has great connections to English, a popular language. Less well known languages will die, and with them goes their culture and history as well if they are in developing countries too.

[@vivekpawar9091]

What will happen when experts die

[@Sakura-zu4rz]

Hello Lovely, I have a frustrating experience. Not knowing where to begin or hitting a plateau can feel demoralizing and make it hard to hit the books and study like you know you should…Having friends from other cultures makes me more creative. In fresh ways about space and how people create their own world and environment. It is best way to connect between creative thinking and cross-cultural relationships.

[@simonhill6267]

All culture will mix, die, evolve, etc. We should be more concerned with building present and future culture, than preserving past culture for cultures sake. Take the lessons from each culture for sure, and preserve in museums and archives that which we can, but you will never be able to keep them alive for perpetuity if they themselves have become irrelevant

[@quadeevans6484]

I agree with you to an extent, there are people who are still trying to hold on their culture but have no choice but to adapt to the local culture in order to survive, those people are the people worth fighting for

[@ntr10me]

@@quadeevans6484 Well said. It's especially difficult when we are living at a time when we can actually see it perhaps happening in our life time. The Ainu of Japan come to mind. Cheers

[@joaozinhogameplays_]

Hello, friend. I understand your point, but I'm not quite sure what you meant by saying that a culture "has become irrelevant". Could you elaborate on that, please?

[@commanderd8476]

@@joaozinhogameplays_ I’m late but the odd chance if you do see this and still care, he culture is irrelevant because look outside, if you live in a city you’ll see the same concrete jungle, in New York, or Boston, as you see in Seoul, or Tokyo, buildings don’t have any cultures anymore, right now culture has became more of a linguistic and religious way, with some dietary habits, globalism weakens every culture. Edit: This only applies to first and second world country’s A bit could be explained by the rise of communism, communist governments killed off all parts of culture they can’t control in China and Russia. Though some rural areas still have a very distinct culture almost pre-colonial TLDR: Communism and globalism

[@voltgaming2213]

CommanderD we should preserve culture

[@zephyr_012]

❤❤❤❤❤ love it

[@deboramori3546]

🇧🇷

[@yl3766]

Thank u this is very inspiring

[@nicolasbadenhorst9531]

Well spoken but naive.. Technology has changed all culture's already.. And many languages have died out already.. Your dragging a dead horse around.. And using historical knowledge as your reason is not a good enough reason.. And the world would be less bloody and violent without culture's clashing..

[@brunobeidacki120]

I appreciate your perspective. I definitely don't think that we should put cultural preservation above globalization and advancements. I simply think that there is value to languages, cultures and traditions - even if on a personal level. And preserving those allows people to maintain a sense of belonging that is missing in many communities around the world! :)

[@nicolasbadenhorst9531]

@@brunobeidacki120.. Sorry but I have to disagree.. There are way more negative than positive issues with culture's.. You mentioned Portuguese and I have witnessed their pride first hand but it is misplaced, we can thank portugal for bringing slave's to the new world, a historical fact quickly overlooked.. People seem too pick and choose only the good aspects of their own culture's and ignore or deny the negative side.. An individual is lost in a group identity and It brings more segrigation and oppression than pride..

[@brunobeidacki120]

@@nicolasbadenhorst9531 So "cultures" is the problem? For starters, Portuguese is a language that goes way beyond the country of Portugal. Many descendants of slaves today speak Portuguese as their native tongue. Everyone knows there are positive and negatives to virtually everything in life - but to deny people the opportunity of learning about those (good and bad) is oppression in itself.

[@nicolasbadenhorst9531]

@@brunobeidacki120 learn by all means.. I thought we were to better the generations before us.. New ideas will be few and far between if we fill it with old ideas.. What I find fascinating is the shock culture's take due to the progress of technology.. As for the language side.. Why learn a language when an app can be my translator.. Bit by bit.. Technology will shape and funnel all culture's.. In some cases it already has..

[@brunobeidacki120]

@@nicolasbadenhorst9531 You seem very cynical, and that is fine. Knowledge is rooted in what happened in the past. If you don't see value in that, that's your call.

[@adilkhan_tolegenov]

Кто смотрит это только потому что это дали как дз?

[@leeshow4949]

Adilkhan Tolegenov ага

[@upgrade1583]

Jokes aside, you are in the minority for language and skin color. You must have been "educated" to not notice it

[@don_p7546]

They is actually a significant white population in Brazil. Still in the minority, yeah, but not that small of a minority

[@user-zo3wy4we3t]

I think he prefers useful knowledge and cultural diversity over majority. 7:05

[@deppo5923]

wtf?

[@bassmantjox1299]

Hot take: some cultures should be left in the past, some cultures actively contribute to the extinction of other animals, like the sawfish, it’s critically endangered, because it’s used in placebo medicine. Keep the non harmful cultures.

[@xyeB]

No😂

[@angeldubon9590]

@@xyeByeah

[@user-gh8ge9zq8w]

aufffffffffffffff aue azerbaijan

[@dylantyt6654]

Guy only speaks to European audiences... keep speaking about diversity in the ONLY diverse countries on earth. Goodbye

[@ricardogiovanni]

🇧🇷