The Big Influences

The videos that have most influenced my thinking about the world.

1) Connections. I've referenced this a few times on here. The first and last episodes particularly of the original series are incredible. More than anything it's responsible for my being a technological pessimist.

Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcSxL8GUn-g

2) Everything is a Remix. This is so good I can't handle it. Anyone who has been to art museum and studied a work whose artist is credited as 'Workshop of...' or 'Student of...' will get this. Part 4 I would label brilliant, which I don't do much.

Part one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feDNeIAC5d8&feature=fvst

3) Ken Robinson. Not as much fun as his TED talk, but the most concise statement I know about changing education to make it work. Combined with his TED talk a full picture of what's the problem, and what needs to be done.

Robinson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

TED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

4) Cosmos. Carl Sagan is kinda brilliant.

Episode one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClPShKs9Kr0

Or a lighter touch, Symphony of Science: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

Coda. Donald in Mathmagic Land: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRD4gb0p5RM

5) The Mind's Eye series. So very ahead of it's time.

The Mind's Eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUv7aRu5RC8&feature=related

Beyond the Mind's Eye: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdFfVx-LkN8


Ross' Columns Challenge

Watch all of these. Watch all 10 episodes of Connections, four parts of Remix, half hour of Ken, 13 episodes of Cosmos, half an hour of Donald, and all of both Mind's Eye and Beyond. Then, maybe, you can start to see the world as I see it. If you enjoy being able to see the world differently any or all of these will be useful to you.