Trapped in the Box, a TED talk by Edith Ann 🙂
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Blogophilia Week 25.8 Topic: Gravitation Cannot Be Held Responsible
Bonus Points:
(Hard, 2 pts) Incorporate a quote from Daniel Kahneman“It’s a wonderful thing to be optimistic. It keeps you healthy and it keeps you resilient.”Daniel Kahneman
(Easy, 1 pt) Include a word said in French
“L’attraction universelle ne peut pas etre jugee responsable”
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Trapped in the Box, a TED talk by Edith Ann 🙂 (By Christine Wichman c. August 2015)
The auditorium slowly filled to capacity as the stage lights were set and an oversized rocking chair was wheeled in from the left and centered perfectly on the circular red carpet. The silence was palpable as highly intellectual people of all walks of life sat in anticipation of one of the 21st century’s most outspoken and brilliant minds.
There was no introduction. Just loud applause as the little girl in the flouncy dress and tangled hair ribbons took the stage and climbed up into her rocking chair. Before settling on her perch she smiled coyly at the audience, and reached toward the side table for the tall glass of water. Slurping through the striped straw she finished with an “ahhhh” and set the glass back down on the table.
Hello. My name is Edith Ann and I am five and a half years old. I want to talk to you all today about the box. You know what box I mean…the box that traps us, holds us back with invisible powers. That box.
*she brings her maryjaned feet into her lap and continues
We are all trapped in the box! Gravitation cannot be held responsible!! Let me repeat that for my French Teacher, L’attraction universelle ne peut pas etre jugee responsable!! Which actually means, just because we are drawn to the trap, does not mean we have to stay there.
It is human nature to follow the crowd, to be pulled toward generalized thinking. To be held a slave to the status quo…but I Edith Ann am here to tell you, that thinking outside of the box, has become thinking inside the box!!
*gasps can be heard in the audience
Yes it is true. What once was rebellious innovative thought, has now become common thinking. I’m a genuis. You are a genuis. The man on your right, he is a genuis too. We all know better and we all know what is right. Right??
*she brings her finger to her temple and taps
Think about it. The loudest is always right. Opinions that are shouted or heard repeatedly on a daily basis must be true. True because no one is making them stop or go away. Slowly our brilliant minds form acceptable opinions. They may be radical at times, yes….but still acceptable.
It is an Alice in Wonderland, hall of mirrors we actually live in. We are constantly seeing the world as a reflection, so collective conciousness becomes our mirror. Mirrors become illusions and illusions become again, a box….a trap.
*she stops abruptly and stares into the eyes of everyone in the front row
I can see you all have questions. At this time we will begin the Q & A….go on yes, you sir with the pink tie, what is your question?
Pink Tie Man: I am confused. Are you giving us hope? Or no hope at all?
Edith Ann: Well take my Dog Buster for example. Buster is happy. He lives in a house with a warm bed, he eats two round meals a day with treats. He gets regular walks. He is happy. He has hope. He is a dog and can only experience what is put before him. Did he create it? Or was he just lucky? All dogs are born happy…but they need to be lucky too. Does that answer your question?
Pink Tie Man: Kind of.
Next Question, Lady with the wiggly blue hair…Yes?
Blue Haired Woman: So you are saying we allow ourselves to be trapped by our thoughts. Are they our own thoughts or have we just been brainwashed?
Edith Ann: OOh ooh you are so warm…getting warmer….Next question, little girl with the red dress on..Yes??
Red Dress Girl: I think you are trying to tell us, that no matter what we think we think, our thoughts get altered, changed and swayed by popular opinion or the opinion of any one we come into contact with in any given moment. If this is the case, how do we hold on to, or actually convey our own original thought??
Edith Ann: You will need a secret weapon.
Red Dress Girl: A Secret weapon??
Edith Ann: Yes the secret power is….
*a hush falls over the crowd as Edith Ann takes a very dramatic pause
Edith Ann: The secret power is “OPTIMISM” It’s a wonderful thing to be optimistic. It keeps you healthy and it keeps you resilient.
Red Dress Girl: Well I try to be optimistic, but life is not perfect.
Edith Ann: Pure optimism holds no negatives. Pure optimism believes only in happiness, not perfection. Pure optimism expects only good, right, true and just happiness. It is too simple for a complicated mind.
Red Dress Girl: So are you telling us Ignorance is Bliss?
Edith Ann: No, I am telling you Enlightenment is Bliss.
With that Edith Ann hopped down off of her big big Rocking chair, and courtsied before the crowd.
Thank you all. Good bye!!
The auditorium slowly emptied and the big rocking chair was hauled off to the right of the stage.
********************** The Author in her best Edith Ann Pose************
Sleeping Queen Publications 