I Am A Thought | Erik Andrade | TEDxNewBedford

TEDx Talks

7 Dec 201505:48

Summary

TLDRThis reflective script delves into the interconnectedness of community health and individual well-being, emphasizing the Wampanoag Indians' heritage in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It explores the impact of societal 'isms' on our collective health and the necessity for personal healing to foster community wellness. The speaker contemplates the nature of thought, its power to shape reality, and the duality of human experience. The piece encourages self-reflection, questioning established beliefs, and embracing change as a pathway to personal and communal growth.

Takeaways

🌟 The speaker emphasizes the importance of community health and acknowledges the Wampanoag Indians, highlighting the interconnectedness of all people.
🌿 Public health is not just about individual well-being but also about the collective health of a community.
💭 The script discusses the idea that our thoughts, culture, and environment shape our health and well-being.
🧠 It suggests that societal issues like classism and racism have negative impacts on how we live and perceive health.
💊 Healing as a community starts with healing as individuals, implying that personal transformation is the first step towards community health.
🤔 The speaker ponders the nature of thought, questioning whether internal contemplation is beneficial or a waste of time.
🌌 The script delves into existential themes, exploring the concept of eternity and the limitations of human understanding.
💥 It challenges the idea of duality, suggesting that peace and violence, silence and screaming can coexist within the same entity.
🔄 The speaker reflects on the ever-changing nature of thoughts and the need to constantly reassess and rearrange our beliefs.
🌱 The poem 'I am a thought' encapsulates the idea that we are constantly evolving beings of thought, capable of transcending limitations.
🔑 The final message is one of empowerment, urging individuals to free themselves from limiting ideas and to embrace the power of their own thoughts.

Q & A

What is the significance of mentioning New Bedford, Massachusetts, and the Wampanoag Indians in the script?
-The mention of New Bedford and the Wampanoag Indians establishes a connection to the indigenous people's history and their ongoing presence in the area, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging the roots and community health.
How does the script define public health in the context of community health?
-The script defines public health as not just about individual health but also about community health, highlighting the interconnectedness of people and the collective well-being.
What is the role of thoughts, culture, and art in shaping our health according to the script?
-The script suggests that thoughts, culture, and art are integral to our health as they shape how we think and perceive the world, which in turn influences our physical and mental well-being.
What does the script imply about the impact of societal issues like classism and racism on health?
-The script implies that societal issues such as classism and racism can lead to a 'sick way' of living, both individually and culturally, suggesting that these 'isms' contribute to the prevalence of illness.
Why is individual healing considered a prerequisite for community healing according to the script?
-The script posits that individual healing is a necessary first step before community healing can occur, as it is through personal transformation that broader societal change can be initiated.
What is the 'medicine' referred to in the script, and how does it relate to healing?
-The 'medicine' in the script is a metaphor for the process of self-reflection and introspection, which is essential for personal growth and healing.
How does the script describe the relationship between thoughts and the physical manifestation of illness?
-The script suggests that our illness is often a physical manifestation of the information and thoughts that form our identity, indicating a deep connection between mental and physical health.
What is the significance of the phrase 'I am a thought' in the script?
-The phrase 'I am a thought' signifies the idea that our identity and reality are shaped by our thoughts, emphasizing the power of the mind in creating our experiences.
How does the script explore the concept of duality within the human experience?
-The script explores duality by describing contrasting states such as peacefulness and violence, silence and screaming, suggesting that these opposing forces coexist within us, creating a complex human experience.
What does the script suggest about the nature of time and the pursuit of understanding it?
-The script suggests that time is a complex and elusive concept, as it questions the ability to fit 'eternity into a finite time,' highlighting the limitations of human understanding.
How does the script encourage individuals to break free from limiting ideas and beliefs?
-The script encourages individuals to free themselves from limiting ideas and beliefs by questioning and rearranging their perceptions, and by seeking truths that resonate with their current understanding.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Community Health and Individual Awareness

This paragraph emphasizes the interconnectedness of public health and community health, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the roots of our existence. It discusses the influence of culture, art, and societal structures like racism and classism on our health. The speaker calls for individual healing as a precursor to community healing, suggesting that our physical health is a reflection of our mental and emotional states. The paragraph also delves into the philosophical nature of thought and existence, questioning the boundaries between internal and external realities and the impact of our thoughts on our well-being.

05:01

🔍 The Paradox of Thought and Existence

In this paragraph, the speaker explores the duality and contradictions inherent in human existence, describing oneself as a 'walking contradiction' and a 'talking science fiction.' The focus is on the nature of thought and its addictive qualities, questioning the understanding of self and the role of thought in shaping our reality. The speaker also contemplates the paradoxical nature of being peaceful while violent, alive yet ceasing, and the complexities of identity and perception. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the power of thought to free oneself from limiting ideas and the necessity of evolving and rearranging one's beliefs and habits.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Public Health

Public health refers to the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of community health over individual health, highlighting the interconnectedness of people's well-being and the impact of societal issues on public health.

💡Wampanoag Indians

The Wampanoag Indians are a Native American tribe who originally inhabited the areas of present-day Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The mention of the Wampanoag Indians in the script serves to acknowledge the indigenous people of the land where the video was recorded, emphasizing the historical and ongoing presence of indigenous communities.

💡Connectedness

Connectedness in the context of the video refers to the idea that individuals are not isolated but are part of a larger community, and that our actions and health can affect those around us. The speaker uses the concept of connectedness to argue for a collective approach to health and healing.

💡Classism

Classism is the discrimination based on social class, often resulting in unequal treatment and opportunities. The script mentions classism as one of the 'isms' that contribute to a 'sick way' of living, indicating how societal structures and prejudices can negatively impact health and well-being.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. The speaker includes racism as a factor contributing to societal ills and the need for individual and community healing.

💡Individual Health

Individual health focuses on the well-being of a single person, including physical, mental, and emotional aspects. The script suggests that while individual health is important, it is inseparable from community health, and healing must begin at the individual level.

💡Healing

Healing in the video is presented as a process of recovery and restoration, not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually. The speaker emphasizes the need for personal healing as a prerequisite for community healing, suggesting that one must take 'the medicine first'.

💡Thought

The concept of 'thought' in the video is central to the speaker's exploration of consciousness and identity. The speaker refers to themselves as a 'thought,' indicating that our thoughts shape our reality and can either liberate or imprison us, as seen in the line 'I am a thought, and so I think'.

💡Mind

The mind, as discussed in the script, is the part of an individual that is responsible for thoughts, feelings, and consciousness. The speaker uses the mind to explore the depths of self-awareness and the potential for both creation and limitation within our thoughts.

💡Duality

Duality in the video refers to the coexistence of opposing elements or qualities within a single entity. The speaker describes themselves as a 'walking contradiction,' highlighting the complex nature of human experience that includes both peace and violence, silence and screaming.

💡Perception

Perception is the process by which the senses gather information from the world and interpret it to form a meaningful understanding. The script discusses the speaker's perception of their own conception and the ongoing process of questioning and understanding their reality.

Highlights

New Bedford, Massachusetts is home to the Wampanoag Indians, the people of the first light.

Public health is about community health, not just individual health.

Acknowledging the roots of where we are and the people who were here first is important for public health.

Illness is often a physical manifestation of the information that forms who we are.

Our thoughts, culture, and art shape how we think and can impact our health.

Society has been plagued by various 'isms' like classism and racism that have led to a sick way of living.

Healing as a community requires individuals to heal first by taking the right 'medicine'.

The speaker introduces a piece called 'I am a thought', exploring the power of thoughts.

Sometimes thoughts can be an abyss, with messages and answers appearing.

Questioning leads to a deeper understanding of love, uncertainty, and the mysteries of existence.

The speaker contemplates the idea of fitting infinity and eternity into a finite mind and time.

Our skin is a barrier that separates internal and external, but we must respect the temple of our body.

There is a 'holy war' within us between the spirit and the flesh.

The mind can transcend its limitations and reach divine heights.

The speaker discusses the concept of being an evolving thought and the repetitive nature of thought.

Attachment to ideas can be harmful, and questioning them is essential for growth.

Everything is interconnected, and our thoughts create our reality.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of freeing oneself from limiting ideas and beliefs.

Change is constant, and we must adapt and rearrange our perceptions and truths.

The speaker reflects on the duality of existence, being both peaceful and violent, awake and dreaming.

The piece concludes with a reflection on the nature of thoughts and the power of thinking.