Have fifteen or twenty minutes to spare while drinking your coffee in the morning or while folding laundry? I highly suggest these fascinating TED Talks (links are in the titles and I have embedded the videos, but we all know what a b-word blogger can be, so they might not work, especially on mobile platforms):
I try to read up on this topic, since dementia is something that is currently impacting my family, and there were a few things in this talk that I still learned (this is the author of Still Alice). For example, learning things in depth is the best way to stay cognizant, even if afflicted with the condition. The more neuro pathways you can create about a topic the more likely you will retain memory as you start losing connections. Also, just in case you need a refresher, maintaing cardiovascular health (exercise! stop eating red meat!) and getting sleep is also really important.
This is definitely one of the most controversial talks I have watched, as it is the discussion of a rape between the rapist and victim. When Thordis Elva was only fourteen Tom Stranger, her older boyfriend, raped her one night after they were both intoxicated. He returned to his home country while she dealt with the psychological aftermath for over a decade, finally reaching out to him in order to catalyze a long healing process. Their story is obviously very unique and personal (they have also written a book), and many are angered by it because Stranger was never held legally accountable. I too want to get on my feminist, human-rights soapbox, but I also must remind myself to take a step back and remember that I have never been in this position and should probably listen, be empathetic (towards her), and not judge (it's hard!).
Here's another talk where empathy is incredibly necessary. As parents, we all want to say that our sons or daughters would never be capable of a horrific attack as the world witnessed in Columbine. Sue Klebold is here to keep us in check, reminding everyone that she was unaware that her son was suffering until it was much, much too late. While as a parent and educator I do in fact disagree, or at least question, some of the things she says, I do wholeheartedly agree with the fact that mental health awareness is one of the most important things we can do for our society. We can't assume that teens are just angsty or that people are "fine" just because they say so.
Megan Phelps-Roper grew up as a member of the extremist church Westboro Baptist, priding herself in protesting and judging others. As she got older, she took to Twitter and a few who were respectful, firm, and informed took to engaging her in debate. Eventually, her views softened and she decided to leave the church with her sister, with the help of a social media friend. They traveled the country and met people of different backgrounds and faith and learned that people who were, say, gay, or Jewish were actually not from satan and should be treated kindly. Phelps-Roper talks a lot about engaging in productive dialogue with others, which can be applicable to any sort of disagreements.
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