Talks worth listening to.

So, I've recently rediscovered TED talks, which claim to be "ideas worth spreading". They accomplish that goal, but they cast a pretty wide net for what ideas they're willing to put up on a stage. I admit, the guy folding origami blindfolded while his buddy played a 5-string electric cello was entertaining, but for me, it's not exactly an idea I can successfully spread. (I know, the presence of that sentence on my blog is self-contradictory, but unless you bother to hunt down that video, I call it valid.)

So, one video that really caught my attention was A.J. Jacobs talking about his book, The Year of Living Biblically. He puts forth some really interesting ideas, which I now wish to spread:

• As far as I know, many psychologists now agree that performing actions will mold your intentions to agree with those actions. But did you know that "Smile and you'll be happy" is in the Bible? This I know, for A.J. Jacobs tells me so.


• If you want to be skeptical about the existence of a God, but still accept that there is something important, even sacred, about the rituals observed by people of faith, you can call yourself a "reverent agnostic". Me, I'm going to start thinking of myself as a "reverent atheist".


• Beards should be well-maintained and kept trim at all times.

I hope this gives you some food for thought.