This is what inequality looks like | Johnny Miller | TEDxJohannesburg

Summary

The speaker shares a transformative experience using a drone to capture aerial views of Cape Town, revealing stark socio-economic disparities. The drone's perspective shifts traditional views, highlighting the city's divisions and inequalities. The project's goal is to raise awareness and inspire change by showing the 'beauty of how things really are' from above, encouraging viewers to empathize with and address the challenges faced by marginalized communities.

Takeaways

• 🌄 The speaker encourages the audience to imagine a perspective from above, like standing on a mountain, to feel connected rather than insignificant.
• 📸 The speaker's experience with a drone provided a new perspective on Table Mountain, changing how a friend perceived the iconic landmark.
• 🔑 The power of technology, specifically a drone, is highlighted as a tool to shift perspectives and challenge preconceived notions.
• 👁️‍🗨️ The speaker, a photographer, traditionally believed in the power of eye contact and facial expressions to tell stories but has now expanded to consider broader perspectives.
• 🏙️ The speaker observes physical and mental barriers in cities, like fences and highways, that segregate communities and limit understanding of each other's lives.
• 🗺️ Census data and maps are used to illustrate the historical and ongoing residential segregation in Cape Town, South Africa.
• 🏡 The speaker's drone photography project aims to reveal the stark contrasts and inequalities in living conditions within and around Cape Town.
• 🌐 The project quickly gained international attention, indicating a global interest in and relevance of the issues of inequality and segregation.
• 👧 The speaker meets a young girl living in a challenging environment, emphasizing the human impact and the need for societal change.
• 🌟 The ultimate goal of the project is to inspire compassion, understanding, and action towards addressing inequality and improving the lives of all community members.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial perspective on photography before using the drone?

The speaker initially believed that the best way to tell someone's story was to look into their eyes, take photos showing people's faces, and create a sense of empathy by making eye contact.

How did the drone change the speaker's perspective on photography?

The drone allowed the speaker to capture a new perspective that changed how people saw Table Mountain, leading the speaker to consider the power of perspective shift in storytelling and photography.

What was the profound comment the speaker received from a friend after viewing the drone video?

The friend commented that he had never seen Table Mountain look like it did in the video, which made the speaker realize the impact of a new perspective on a familiar landmark.

Why did the speaker decide to use the drone to capture images of the city?

The speaker decided to use the drone to capture images of the city to show what Cape Town actually looked like from the air, aiming to reveal the beauty of how things really are.

What was the reaction to the first drone image the speaker posted on social media?

The first image received an overwhelming response, with 40,000 views, thousands of likes, hundreds of comments, and shares, indicating that it touched a nerve and resonated with many people.

Why did the speaker choose to photograph Nord Hook and Masakhane?

The speaker chose to photograph Nord Hook and Masakhane because it was an area with a low-income township surrounded by relatively affluent housing estates, providing an interesting perspective shift.

What was the significance of the map based on census data that the speaker found?

The map showed that people largely still live in the same areas they were placed decades ago, bounded by infrastructure, highlighting the persistence of social and economic divisions.

How does the speaker's project aim to change people's mindsets?

The speaker's project aims to change people's mindsets by using aerial imagery to reveal the reality of living conditions in different areas, inspiring compassion and a desire for change.

What was the impact of the speaker's project on the audience and the broader community?

The project had a significant impact, with images garnering thousands of views, likes, and shares, and prompting discussions about inequality and the need for change in urban planning and social policies.

What is the speaker's ultimate goal for the project?

The speaker's ultimate goal is not only to document and reveal the disparities in living conditions but also to inspire action towards creating a more equal society by changing people's mindsets and encouraging them to look beyond their immediate surroundings.