OCW
What my politically divided family teaches me
Tami Pyfer has five kids who belong to five different political parties, and sometimes family conversations get heated. Drawing on her work as a former policy advisor to the governor of Utah, she wanted to find a healthier way for people to talk about politics without contempt. The result is the Dig..
TED
The 60 seconds that make or break a conversation
What's your point? Communication expert Chris Fenning reveals how the first 60 seconds can make or break a workplace conversation — and shares a three-step framework to help you get it right.
TED
3 grammar rules that you don’t need to follow anymore
Grammatical rules have caused heated debate in various regions and languages for centuries. But while we know people take grammar seriously, what’s less clear is, why? Where do these seemingly random rules come from, and which, if any, actually matter? Arika Okrent takes a closer look at three fam..
TED
The sneaky language tricks cults use to influence you
In the age of social media and wellness trends, the comments section is as good as a cult compound, says linguist and cultural commentator Amanda Montell. Using Taylor Swift's throng of devoted Swifties as her guide, she exposes three sneaky language tactics that cults use to influence us (for ..
TED
Why are people starting to sound like ChatGPT?
Algorithms and AI don't just show us reality — they warp it in ways that benefit platforms built to exploit people for profit, says etymologist Adam Aleksic. From ChatGPT influencing our word choices to Spotify turning a data cluster into a new musical genre, he reveals how new technology sub..
TED
This is what happens in your brain when you can’t recall a word
You’re sure you know your 3rd grade teacher’s name— it’s like you’re hovering over it in your mind, but it just won’t materialize. Researchers call this tantalizing torment a “tip-of-the-tongue state,” and it’s something everyone experiences. But what’s actually happening when a ..
TED
