TEDXDunedin - Damian Scarf

Damian Scarf started his career at the University of Otago as a psychology student.

As an overachiever, his anxiety pushed him to cut off different parts of his social life in order to get higher grades. As he left his rugby team and circle of friends, his grades went from C’s to A’s, but in the process, he lost his stability and sense of purpose.

Now, the student has become the master. Damian calls his professors colleagues, and has done extensive research into cognition and memory development.

At TEDxDunedin, he brings his wealth of knowledge on human cognition to explain the debilitating intersection of isolation and anxiety.

Anxiety... As an expert strategist... 

Connections with those around us bolster our resilience... Groups are critical to our well being... 

The social cure...

The noise in head of anxiety... Quitting groups... Schedule gruelling schedule... 

 Anxiety driving... Controlling.... Taking over...

Depression taking the place of anxiety... 

Where is our sense of belonging.... Our sense of resilience....

Suicide accounting for far too many deaths... Transition to university... 

Spirit of adventure... Comparable to outward bound... Thesis of voyage - running voyage and supporting...

Group providing support... Sense of belonging... 

Again Fionna's quote rings loud in my ears... Every action serves to include or exclude... 

Sense of belonging, feeling connected and accepted... 

Building social relationships... Belonging.... Cures many ills... Serves to increase wellness...

What makes us feel we belong? 

Just WOW!!!!  

TEDXDunedin - Karyn Paringatai

Karyn grew up in Invercargill away from her family roots on the East coast of New Zealand.

As a lecturer at the University of Otago, she has received multiple honours and awards for the work she has done in reviving the Maori culture and language. Her practice of teaching her students in the dark, as utilised by Maori years ago, has started a widespread conversation among academics about ancient forms of learning.

Karyn never had much connection to her family until later in life, but the process of finding herself and where she came from saved Karyn’s life, as you’ll hear her talk about at TEDxDunedin.

Wow what a powerful start... Grabbing us with waiata...

Cultural narrative as strength, courage, determination... 

Understanding whakapapa... 

Migration love story... 

Developing our identity... Knowledge of our place, our time...

Whakapapa demands and commands respect...

Cultural disconnect by geolocation... Missing the understanding of who you are and where you are from...

Kauwimati... 

Wow just wow... Too involved to write.... WATCH THIS TALK.......

TEDXDunedin Howie Booth

Howie remembers where he was the day Bruce Lee died. He also remembers seeing his first live cage fight and being a referee in the ring for the first time like it was yesterday.

For Howie, fighting is not about violence. It’s about control, discipline and strength; learning your body’s limits and pushing past them. It’s about getting into the ring with someone better than you, putting your ego aside, and learning to re-train your brain so that you come out on top.

At TEDxDunedin, Howie shares his perspectives from the other side of the cage on how fighting can solve problems.

Connecting with a personal story... Growing up... Watching movies... 

A glimpse inside the ring / cage... What would I do in there? Asking a personal question...

Asking the questions... Curiosity... 

What happens when you panic? When you are empty?

If you hink you're in trouble you are...

Stop listening to ego...

Learn the lessons...

Natural instincts will betray you...

Over rule the flight mode... 

Retrain to do the right thing....

Turn and face at all times.... Do we do this? Do we face our demons?

Training physical and mental... Train to know your body...

Learn to control the emotion... Mental and emotional resilience!

If you can't control your emotions nothing will save you!

Understanding and appreciation is sooo necessary!

You win or you learn! 

Becoming better people through whatever you do!,,,

Respect and honour for each other... Lessons for us all here from Howie...

It's not the critic that counts, the credit belongs to he who strives... The doer of deeds... All glory goes to the fighter!  

Knowing self through pursuing what you believe in.... 

Mechanical, physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional... 

TEDXDunedin - Lisa Scott

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The best way to describe Lisa Scott is lively and energetic. When she returned from her travels in the Middle East in 2009 to discover all the jobs were gone, she decided to become a writer.

Her work has since received several awards for its insight and humorous perspective. Living out of a modest Dunedin home with her partner, the famed Economist, and a small cat, Lisa writes about life and love as she sees it in the Otago Daily Times, NEXT, North and South, and NZ Life & Leisure.

At TEDxDunedin, she poses the question: “Is satire dead?”

Woohoo on stage... 

Arrested, going to prison... Great way to kick start weight loss..

What is satire?

Connecting us with a personal story... 

Difference between satire and being a bogan...

Spellbound by the history of satire...

Fred Dogg as NZ satirist...

McPhail and Gadsby, a week of it... 

Are we paying attention enough to enjoy satire? 

Times before sniping behind our email address... Satire isn't dead.... But it is struggling...