Find your inner scientist: Benny Johnson at TEDxUIowa

Summary

The speaker, a former scientist turned political reporter for BuzzFeed, likens the internet to a vast, ever-changing laboratory filled with discoveries. He emphasizes the importance of embracing failure as a learning tool, much like in scientific research, and highlights the need to connect with the millennial generation through relatable, interactive content. The talk showcases creative ways to make politics engaging, such as comparing politicians to Muppets and dramatizing international conflicts, demonstrating the power of storytelling in political reporting.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker embraces the unpredictability and rapid change of the internet, comparing it to a vast, exciting laboratory of discovery.
• 📚 The speaker's background in organic chemistry has influenced their approach to political reporting, emphasizing the importance of failure and learning in the scientific process.
• 🔍 The speaker believes in the importance of asking the right questions and applying the scientific method to understand and engage with the audience.
• 📈 The speaker highlights the shift in control from traditional media to the internet, where viral content is often driven by user interaction and sharing.
• 👥 The speaker emphasizes the need to meet the audience where they are, particularly millennials, who are defined by their use of technology and social media.
• 📊 The speaker discusses the accessibility of politicians in the digital age, where they can directly interact with the public through social media platforms.
• 🤔 The speaker encourages the audience to think about how to make politics engaging for younger generations, using creative and interactive methods.
• 📝 The speaker shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the journey from a scientific career to political reporting, emphasizing the value of diverse passions and skills.
• 🌐 The speaker discusses the impact of the internet on traditional advertising and media, noting that virality is now more about user engagement than controlled messaging.
• 📷 The speaker uses humor and pop culture references to connect with the audience, demonstrating how to make complex topics like politics more accessible and entertaining.
• 🔗 The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of bringing the political world to the audience in a way that is relevant and understandable to them.

Q & A

What does the speaker consider himself to be working in?

The speaker considers himself to be working in a laboratory, specifically referring to the internet as the largest, most exciting laboratory that ever existed on the planet.

How does the speaker describe the carpet's condition before the event?

The speaker describes the carpet as having been in perfect shape the day before, but now it's getting frilled due to people walking on it.

What is the speaker's educational background?

The speaker has an organic chemistry degree from the University of Iowa and did not attend any writing or political science classes.

How did the speaker transition from being a scientist to a political reporter?

The speaker loved politics and writing, and after working in organo chemistry for two years in Germany, he made the leap to become a political reporter for BuzzFeed.

What is the speaker's view on having multiple passions?

The speaker believes it's okay to have multiple passions and encourages keeping those passions alive because one never knows when a dream job might come along that aligns with those passions.

What is the speaker's perspective on failure in the scientific community?

The speaker views failure as an integral part of being a scientist, stating that most of a scientist's job involves failing, but those failures can lead to valuable discoveries and insights.

What is the main question the speaker asks himself in his 'laboratory'?

The speaker's main question is how to get a millennial to stop using Snapchat for a minute and care about politics.

What is the speaker's approach to making politics more accessible to millennials?

The speaker aims to meet millennials where they are, using interactive and engaging content that resonates with them, such as making political figures into memes or creating content that can go viral on the internet.

How does the speaker describe the change in the way content is consumed and shared due to the internet?

The speaker describes a shift from a controlled, one-directional flow of information to an interactive and participatory environment where content can go viral and be shaped by the audience.

What is the significance of the 'Onion Joe Biden' photos mentioned in the script?

The 'Onion Joe Biden' photos are significant because they humanize the political figure, giving him an endearing personality that people can relate to and laugh with, making politics more accessible and engaging.

What lesson does the speaker learn from the 'Syria' video they created?

The lesson learned is that by presenting complex political issues in a way that is native to the audience's understanding and in an engaging format, one can effectively educate and connect with them.