https://www.ted.com/talks/adora_svitak_what_adults_can_learn_from_kids?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

The TED Talk that I linked above is titled “What Adults Can Learn From Kids” presented by Adora Svitak who in this talk, was only 12 years old. She starts off discussing her opinion on the word “childish” and demeaning it to be used as an insult of inferiority to adults. Svitak showcases the disasters created by adults and the good brought by children and simply asks for adults to start to listen to people younger than them as a teacher/student relationship of sorts. She also talks about her own problems dealing with adults and how her age has been a burden and a barrier to accomplish simple things like publishing a book because they’re meant for adults. In the end, Svitak is able to tell of how she overcame her difficulties and is now a published author and speaker to many (both adults and children) as an advocate for literacy. This was the first TED Talk I’ve ever seen executed by a person under 30 but contains just as much sophistication and class as someone that age. Her humor and small insults made both the audience and I pay more attention because it draws you into trusting her and what she’s saying.

Paradigm Shift Ideas:

I currently have four different ideas as topics for my paradigm shift paper. These are in short cosmetic surgery, dating, comedy, and horror movies. 

1. Cosmetic surgery over the years has become more and more apparent in both men and women. I don’t want to necessarily focus on plastic surgery, but rather the certain kind where you choose to have the procedure out of wanting to improve one’s physical appearance. This would be executed through researching what types people used to get done and how they have changed into new insecurities or if they are now opposite from the past.
2. Dating too has changed drastically with chivalry and romance slowly dwindling from the dating scene. Men used to ask women out in person and with flowers but now it’s through Tinder, Snapchat, and “hook-up” culture is much more apparent than having an actual relationship nowadays. There are also people in “throuples” or couples with more than 2 people. How has dating culture evolved? And when did these differences become accepted?
3. Comedy is one topic that I was toying around with that pertains mainly towards what a generation finds humorous now vs in the past. How do comedy shows look different? Are they darker now? Less sexist? Are more comedians men or women then and now? Why?
4. Horror movies are the topic I’m leaning most towards at the moment just because I do love them and I’ve always been interested in film. With this topic I would want to research how they have evolved from fictional characters to more realistic story plots. From older movies with Frankenstein or Dracula to new movies with possessed people or true stories of haunted houses (like The Conjuring). Why have they changed and how is what I would want to research through this topic overall.