Why I keep speaking up, even when people mock my accent | Safwat Saleem

TED

15 Aug 201610:48

Summary

TLDRSafwat Saleem, a visual artist and animator, shares his journey of self-expression through his work, which includes humorous animations and educational videos. Despite facing criticism for his Pakistani accent, he initially avoids using his voice in his art. However, he challenges societal norms by embracing his unique voice and accent, drawing parallels to how ancient cultures recognized colors only after they could produce them. Saleem encourages us to continuously redefine 'normal' to see the true diversity of our world.

Takeaways

😴 The speaker used to have a recurring dream of being unable to speak in social situations, reflecting their anxiety and past experiences with stuttering.
🎨 As a visual artist, the speaker finds joy in creating humorous and poignant animations, often providing voice-overs for various characters.
🎬 The speaker's work on an educational video about video game history was initially well-received, boosting their confidence and sense of achievement.
👎 Negative comments about the speaker's voice and accent on the video led to a setback in their self-esteem and temporarily halted their use of their voice in their work.
🤔 The speaker's childhood experiences with stuttering were marked by avoidance and silence, as they felt different and struggled with the fear of being judged.
🔍 The concept of 'normal' is explored through the speaker's personal journey and the historical example of color perception in ancient cultures.
🌐 The speaker challenges the audience to consider how societal expectations and preconceived notions of normalcy can lead to discrimination and exclusion.
📚 The lack of diversity in children's literature is highlighted as a missed opportunity to expose children to a broader range of experiences and perspectives.
💪 The speaker decides to embrace their unique voice and accent, using their work and platform to challenge and redefine what is considered 'normal'.
🌟 The speaker concludes by encouraging continuous questioning of societal norms, drawing a parallel to the ancient Greeks' evolving perception of the color blue.

Q & A

What is the recurring dream that the speaker describes at the beginning of the script?
-The speaker describes a recurring dream where they enter a room full of people, trying to avoid eye contact. When someone approaches and asks their name, they panic and are unable to respond, leading to an awkward silence followed by others in the room asking if they've forgotten their name.
What does the speaker enjoy doing as a visual artist?
-As a visual artist, the speaker enjoys creating little animations where they get to do voice-overs for various characters, including a bear, a whale, a greeting card, and Frankenstein's monster.
What was the speaker's experience like when they first saw positive comments on their educational video about the history of video games?
-The speaker was excited to see positive comments on their video, feeling like they had finally arrived when people other than their mom were saying nice things about their work online.
How did the speaker react to the negative comments about their voice in the video?
-Initially, the speaker took the negative comments about their voice personally, but they decided to ignore them and continue working on the second part of the video.
What is the speaker's personal challenge with speaking?
-The speaker has struggled with stuttering for as long as they can remember, which made speaking difficult and often led to them avoiding situations where they had to speak, such as raising their hand in class or answering the phone.
How does the speaker use audio editing in their work?
-The speaker uses audio editing to refine their voice in their work, comparing it to Photoshop for the voice, where they can slow down, speed up, deepen, or add an echo to their voice, and fix stutters.
What realization did the speaker come to after receiving negative comments about their accent?
-The speaker realized that 'normal' is largely based on expectations and what people are accustomed to, and they decided to challenge the preexisting notion of normal with their work, voice, and accent.
What historical example does the speaker use to illustrate the concept of 'normal' being based on what we are exposed to?
-The speaker uses the example of Ancient Greek writer Homer, who mentioned very few colors in his writing, suggesting that cultures only began to recognize a color once they had the ability to make it, thus making it part of their 'normal'.
How does the speaker relate the concept of 'normal' to societal discrimination?
-The speaker relates 'normal' to societal discrimination by pointing out that expectations of what is normal can lead to favoritism and discrimination, such as reviewers finding more spelling errors in writing they believe is from a black person, or resumes with white-sounding names getting more callbacks.
What is the speaker's message about challenging the notion of 'normal'?
-The speaker encourages challenging the notion of 'normal' to allow society to see the true diversity and richness of experiences and perspectives, comparing it to how the Ancient Greeks eventually recognized the color blue after centuries of not seeing it.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 Artistic Expression and the Struggle with Voice

The speaker, a visual artist, shares a recurring dream of social anxiety where they are unable to speak their name when asked, reflecting their real-life challenges with stuttering. They express their creativity through humorous and poignant animations, where they enjoy doing voice-overs for various characters, including a bear, a whale, and Frankenstein's monster. Despite the joy of voicing these characters, negative comments on an educational video about the history of video games, criticizing the speaker's voice and accent, led to a period of self-doubt and withdrawal from using their voice in their work. The paragraph concludes with the speaker's realization of the impact of societal expectations on what is considered 'normal'.

05:04

🌈 Challenging the Notion of 'Normal'

The speaker delves into the concept of 'normal' by examining historical and cultural perspectives, such as the Ancient Greeks' limited color recognition due to their inability to produce certain colors. This analogy is used to illustrate how societal norms are shaped by exposure and visibility. The speaker discusses the unconscious biases that arise from these norms, citing examples of discrimination based on race and gender in academic and professional settings. They also highlight the lack of diversity in children's literature, which affects how children perceive themselves and others. The speaker concludes by expressing a personal commitment to challenge these norms through their work and voice, despite the fear and criticism they face.

10:09

🌟 Embracing Diversity and the Power of Persistence

In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of continuously challenging our preconceived notions of 'normal' to foster a more inclusive society. They draw a parallel between the Ancient Greeks' delayed recognition of the color blue and the slow societal acceptance of diversity. The speaker shares their renewed courage to use their voice in their work, acknowledging the possibility of setbacks but坚定地认为放弃不是一个选项. The paragraph ends with the speaker expressing gratitude and receiving applause, signifying the audience's appreciation for their message of embracing diversity and the power of persistence.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Stuttering

Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the normal flow of speech, including repetitions of sounds or syllables, prolonged sounds, and silent pauses. In the video, the speaker reveals that he has stuttered for as long as he can remember, which has led to a fear of speaking in public and a preference for silence. This personal struggle is central to the narrative as it shapes his experiences and self-perception.

💡Voice-over

A voice-over is a production technique where a voice is recorded and played back over other elements of a production, such as video or animation. The speaker mentions his enjoyment of doing voice-overs for various characters in his animations, which allows him to express himself creatively despite his stuttering. This is a key aspect of his work as a visual artist and highlights his ability to overcome personal challenges.

💡Accent

An accent refers to the particular way a person speaks a language, often influenced by their geographical or cultural background. The speaker addresses the issue of accents when he corrects a comment that mistook his Pakistani accent for an Indian one. This moment in the script underscores the theme of normalcy and how accents can be perceived as deviations from what is considered 'normal' in certain contexts.

💡Normal

Normal, in this context, refers to what is considered standard, usual, or typical. The video explores the concept of normalcy and how it is often based on expectations and exposure. The speaker uses the analogy of color perception in ancient cultures to illustrate how normal can be a social construct, challenging the audience to reconsider their assumptions about what is 'normal'.

💡Discrimination

Discrimination is the unfair treatment of people based on their perceived differences, such as race, gender, or ethnicity. The script mentions various forms of discrimination, such as reviewers finding more spelling errors in writing perceived to be from a black person or resumes with white-sounding names getting more callbacks. These examples tie into the broader theme of normalcy and how societal expectations can lead to biased treatment.

💡Self-consciousness

Self-consciousness is a heightened awareness of one's own appearance, presence, or actions, often leading to feelings of embarrassment or awkwardness. The speaker describes being self-conscious about his voice, which has led him to avoid using it in his work after receiving negative comments. This concept is integral to understanding the speaker's journey and his decision to challenge societal norms.

💡Expectations

Expectations are beliefs about what will happen or what is typically the case. In the video, expectations are discussed as a driving force behind the concept of normalcy. The speaker argues that what is considered normal is often a result of our expectations, which can lead to discrimination and bias. This idea is central to the video's message about challenging and redefining what is considered 'normal'.

💡Ancient Greek

The term 'Ancient Greek' refers to the culture and people of ancient Greece. The speaker uses the example of Ancient Greek literature, which rarely mentions the color blue, to illustrate how the concept of normal can evolve over time. This historical context serves as a metaphor for the speaker's personal experiences and the video's broader themes of perception and societal norms.

💡Challenge

To challenge, in this context, means to question or confront an idea or belief. The speaker encourages the audience to challenge their preconceived notions of normal, which is a central theme of the video. By challenging these notions, the speaker suggests that society can evolve and become more inclusive, as illustrated by the historical shift in color perception.

💡Invisibility

Invisibility, as used in the video, refers to the phenomenon where something is not recognized or acknowledged because it does not fit within the existing framework of what is considered normal or visible. The speaker discusses how colors like blue were 'invisible' to ancient cultures until they could be produced, paralleling his own experiences with his accent and the broader issue of minority representation.

💡Representation

Representation in this context refers to the portrayal or inclusion of certain groups in media and society. The speaker points out the lack of diversity in children's books, which can affect how children of color see themselves and how majority groups perceive them. This lack of representation is tied to the video's exploration of normalcy and the need for a more inclusive understanding of diversity.

Highlights

The speaker shares a recurring dream of social anxiety and the fear of forgetting their name.

As a visual artist, the speaker finds joy in creating humorous and bittersweet animations.

The speaker has voiced various characters, including a bear, whale, and greeting card, in their animations.

Frankenstein's monster is the speaker's favorite character to voice, requiring a lot of grunting.

An educational video about the history of video games allowed the speaker to voice Space Invader.

The speaker experienced a mix of positive and negative feedback on their video, including comments on their voice.

The speaker has a Pakistani accent, which was criticized by some viewers as being hard to understand.

The negative comments led the speaker to stop using their voice in their work, triggering memories of a childhood struggle with stuttering.

The speaker's childhood was marked by a fear of speaking and being perceived as abnormal due to their stutter.

The speaker's use of audio editing in their work was a way to feel normal, but negative comments undermined this.

The concept of 'normal' is challenged by the speaker, who explores its relation to expectations and visibility.

Ancient literature's limited color palette is used as an analogy for how 'normal' is constructed by what we can create and see.

The speaker discusses societal biases and discrimination, linking them to our narrow definitions of 'normal'.

Children's books often lack diverse characters, which affects how children perceive 'normal' and their own potential.

The speaker decides to challenge the preexisting notion of 'normal' through their work and voice, despite fear.

The speaker is now slowly reintroducing their voice into their work, embracing their accent and uniqueness.

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of challenging our notions of 'normal' for societal progress.