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Me, my map and I | Peter Bennett | TEDxStGilgenInternationalSchool


what if if what what if we offer a small
what if if what what if we offer a small child a box
we know that child wants to know what’s
we know that child wants to know what’s inside the box it’s part of what we call
inside the box it’s part of what we call
inside the box it’s part of what we call childlike curiosity but something
childlike curiosity but something
childlike curiosity but something worries me as we get older we seem to be
worries me as we get older we seem to be
worries me as we get older we seem to be more interested in the box and less
more interested in the box and less
more interested in the box and less interested in what’s inside it the
interested in what’s inside it the
interested in what’s inside it the contents no I have a personal
contents no I have a personal
contents no I have a personal fascination for maps old-school maps the
fascination for maps old-school maps the
fascination for maps old-school maps the kind of map that you need to learn how
kind of map that you need to learn how
kind of map that you need to learn how hold and how to fold the kind of map
hold and how to fold the kind of map
hold and how to fold the kind of map that’s got coffee stains and dog ears
that’s got coffee stains and dog ears
that’s got coffee stains and dog ears and memories from the places it’s taken
and memories from the places it’s taken
and memories from the places it’s taken you when was the last time you drew a
you when was the last time you drew a
you when was the last time you drew a map you created a map for yourself how
map you created a map for yourself how
map you created a map for yourself how long ago was that
long ago was that
long ago was that what do we use maps for they
what do we use maps for they
what do we use maps for they discriminate delineate helped us to
discriminate delineate helped us to
discriminate delineate helped us to navigate describe depict include and
navigate describe depict include and
navigate describe depict include and exclude whilst some things are on the
exclude whilst some things are on the
exclude whilst some things are on the map a lot is not so of course we use
map a lot is not so of course we use
map a lot is not so of course we use maps to get where we want to go where do
maps to get where we want to go where do
maps to get where we want to go where do you want to go what do you want to be
what if what if you could consider
what if what if you could consider yourself as a map what if you were as
yourself as a map what if you were as
yourself as a map what if you were as curious about yourself as that young
curious about yourself as that young
curious about yourself as that young child is about the contents of the box
child is about the contents of the box
child is about the contents of the box so
so
so let’s think of ourselves as maps as you
let’s think of ourselves as maps as you
let’s think of ourselves as maps as you are now how would you describe yourself
are now how would you describe yourself
are now how would you describe yourself catalog confirm he is your is as you are
catalog confirm he is your is as you are
catalog confirm he is your is as you are now oh of course
now oh of course
now oh of course you’d go for the known for the safe for
you’d go for the known for the safe for
you’d go for the known for the safe for the predictable for the complacent the
the predictable for the complacent the
the predictable for the complacent the habits and of course
habits and of course
habits and of course into that map we’d all build our
into that map we’d all build our
into that map we’d all build our personal acceptance of limitations and
personal acceptance of limitations and
personal acceptance of limitations and perhaps somehow embedded in that map is
perhaps somehow embedded in that map is
perhaps somehow embedded in that map is a reluctance to challenge ourselves a
a reluctance to challenge ourselves a
a reluctance to challenge ourselves a reluctance to take ourselves to places
reluctance to take ourselves to places
reluctance to take ourselves to places we’ve never been so what if we accept
we’ve never been so what if we accept
we’ve never been so what if we accept this proposition why should we think of
this proposition why should we think of
this proposition why should we think of ourselves as maps I’ll tell you why
ourselves as maps I’ll tell you why
ourselves as maps I’ll tell you why because it might lead to something
because it might lead to something
because it might lead to something fabulous something incredible something
fabulous something incredible something
fabulous something incredible something you’ve never thought possible
you’ve never thought possible
you’ve never thought possible not through confirmation but through
not through confirmation but through
not through confirmation but through exploration what if we thought of
exploration what if we thought of
exploration what if we thought of ourselves as maps with vast unexplored
ourselves as maps with vast unexplored
ourselves as maps with vast unexplored areas think of the possibilities the
areas think of the possibilities the
areas think of the possibilities the vistas the Rangers the voids the valleys
vistas the Rangers the voids the valleys
vistas the Rangers the voids the valleys the dimensions that lie within you and
the dimensions that lie within you and
the dimensions that lie within you and all of these are unique to you and to
all of these are unique to you and to
all of these are unique to you and to further into uncharted territory that we
further into uncharted territory that we
further into uncharted territory that we venture the more we discover things that
venture the more we discover things that
venture the more we discover things that we didn’t think possible and things that
we didn’t think possible and things that
we didn’t think possible and things that change us rain forests teeming with
change us rain forests teeming with
change us rain forests teeming with emotion oceans glittering with
emotion oceans glittering with
emotion oceans glittering with imagination planes shimmering with
imagination planes shimmering with
imagination planes shimmering with mirages of faiths and Peaks soaring high
mirages of faiths and Peaks soaring high
mirages of faiths and Peaks soaring high into the sky into the clouds of reason
into the sky into the clouds of reason
into the sky into the clouds of reason the paradox of course to all of this is
the paradox of course to all of this is
the paradox of course to all of this is that you’ll never know how much you
that you’ll never know how much you
that you’ll never know how much you don’t know until you go
don’t know until you go
don’t know until you go the undiscover’d the nameless terror
the undiscover’d the nameless terror
the undiscover’d the nameless terror incognita the Burke and Will’s
incognita the Burke and Will’s
incognita the Burke and Will’s expedition in 1860 traveled from
expedition in 1860 traveled from
expedition in 1860 traveled from Melbourne in the Sun eastern tip of
Melbourne in the Sun eastern tip of
Melbourne in the Sun eastern tip of Australia to the north to Gold Gulf of
Australia to the north to Gold Gulf of
Australia to the north to Gold Gulf of Carpentaria they were searching for an
Carpentaria they were searching for an
Carpentaria they were searching for an inland sea that apparently existed which
inland sea that apparently existed which
inland sea that apparently existed which would if true make a navigation into the
would if true make a navigation into the
would if true make a navigation into the interior of the continent possible how
interior of the continent possible how
interior of the continent possible how do we know about this expedition because
do we know about this expedition because
do we know about this expedition because only one man came back alive
only one man came back alive
only one man came back alive there was no inland sea the rest of the
there was no inland sea the rest of the
there was no inland sea the rest of the expedition died trying to find it so
expedition died trying to find it so
expedition died trying to find it so exploring the new the uncharted carries
exploring the new the uncharted carries
exploring the new the uncharted carries risk now what’s new in you there’s no
risk now what’s new in you there’s no
risk now what’s new in you there’s no turning back he’s gone too far that’s
turning back he’s gone too far that’s
turning back he’s gone too far that’s pretty extreme she’s testing our limits
pretty extreme she’s testing our limits
pretty extreme she’s testing our limits you’re out of your depth I feel like I’m
you’re out of your depth I feel like I’m
you’re out of your depth I feel like I’m going over the edge he’s lost his way
going over the edge he’s lost his way
going over the edge he’s lost his way we’re in no-man’s land I don’t know
we’re in no-man’s land I don’t know
we’re in no-man’s land I don’t know where my moral compass is anymore and
where my moral compass is anymore and
where my moral compass is anymore and we’ve all gone beyond the point of no
we’ve all gone beyond the point of no
we’ve all gone beyond the point of no return these are the terms of course
return these are the terms of course
return these are the terms of course that we use to make the metaphysical
that we use to make the metaphysical
that we use to make the metaphysical physical that’s not a whole lot of crap
physical that’s not a whole lot of crap
physical that’s not a whole lot of crap when talking about a map entering
when talking about a map entering
when talking about a map entering uncharted territory of course carries
uncharted territory of course carries
uncharted territory of course carries risk risk brings rewards and how many of
risk risk brings rewards and how many of
risk risk brings rewards and how many of us dare test ourselves by venturing into
us dare test ourselves by venturing into
us dare test ourselves by venturing into that space to discover what we wished we
that space to discover what we wished we
that space to discover what we wished we didn’t know or what we wished we’d
didn’t know or what we wished we’d
didn’t know or what we wished we’d always known now the discovery of the
always known now the discovery of the
always known now the discovery of the self well that’s all very well I think
self well that’s all very well I think
self well that’s all very well I think we’re all for that aren’t we what about
we’re all for that aren’t we what about
we’re all for that aren’t we what about the discovery of others doesn’t that
the discovery of others doesn’t that
the discovery of others doesn’t that bring risk greater risk danger fear the
bring risk greater risk danger fear the
bring risk greater risk danger fear the unknown the strange the foreigner the
unknown the strange the foreigner the
unknown the strange the foreigner the unwelcome the threatening
unwelcome the threatening
unwelcome the threatening my personal favorite from childhood
my personal favorite from childhood
my personal favorite from childhood storybooks of course quicksand so what
storybooks of course quicksand so what
storybooks of course quicksand so what if the desire to explore ourselves could
if the desire to explore ourselves could
if the desire to explore ourselves could be transferred to others that we could
be transferred to others that we could
be transferred to others that we could share that and in so doing not only
share that and in so doing not only
share that and in so doing not only explore them but ourselves in the
explore them but ourselves in the
explore them but ourselves in the process or are we just satisfied to
process or are we just satisfied to
process or are we just satisfied to content ourselves with the box but not
content ourselves with the box but not
content ourselves with the box but not the contents imagine yourselves in the
the contents imagine yourselves in the
the contents imagine yourselves in the largest library the world has ever seen
largest library the world has ever seen
largest library the world has ever seen as a book there that’s been written by
as a book there that’s been written by
as a book there that’s been written by every single person who’s alive you
every single person who’s alive you
every single person who’s alive you included and every single one of those
included and every single one of those
included and every single one of those books is being written as it lies in the
books is being written as it lies in the
books is being written as it lies in the shelves you’re paralyzed which book will
shelves you’re paralyzed which book will
shelves you’re paralyzed which book will you reach out for will there be a book
you reach out for will there be a book
you reach out for will there be a book there that tells you something you
there that tells you something you
there that tells you something you wished you’d never known or will there
wished you’d never known or will there
wished you’d never known or will there be a book there the changes everything
be a book there the changes everything
be a book there the changes everything you had ever known and it’s through
you had ever known and it’s through
you had ever known and it’s through discovering others as well that we shine
discovering others as well that we shine
discovering others as well that we shine light light on ourselves this is the
light light on ourselves this is the
light light on ourselves this is the wisdom known as Ubuntu that we are only
wisdom known as Ubuntu that we are only
wisdom known as Ubuntu that we are only complete through our interactions with
complete through our interactions with
complete through our interactions with others Byzantium the ancient kingdom now
others Byzantium the ancient kingdom now
others Byzantium the ancient kingdom now more or less the area of Turkey but
more or less the area of Turkey but
more or less the area of Turkey but what’s enormous and vast rich and
what’s enormous and vast rich and
what’s enormous and vast rich and powerful the craftsmen in Byzantium were
powerful the craftsmen in Byzantium were
powerful the craftsmen in Byzantium were trained to make mosaics which could be
trained to make mosaics which could be
trained to make mosaics which could be carried on and built constructed created
carried on and built constructed created
carried on and built constructed created by their descendants by craftsmen who
by their descendants by craftsmen who
by their descendants by craftsmen who followed them because these works were
followed them because these works were
followed them because these works were so elaborate that it was well understood
so elaborate that it was well understood
so elaborate that it was well understood it was unlikely that any craftsman would
it was unlikely that any craftsman would
it was unlikely that any craftsman would finish it in his own lifetime now can
finish it in his own lifetime now can
finish it in his own lifetime now can you imagine starting something that you
you imagine starting something that you
you imagine starting something that you know from the beginning you can never
know from the beginning you can never
know from the beginning you can never finish now imagine starting something
finish now imagine starting something
finish now imagine starting something that not only can you never finish but
that not only can you never finish but
that not only can you never finish but no one else can finish would you start
no one else can finish would you start
no one else can finish would you start would you even bother what would stop
would you even bother what would stop
would you even bother what would stop you this work it finishes with you
you this work it finishes with you
you this work it finishes with you it’s your map you are the work you are
it’s your map you are the work you are
it’s your map you are the work you are the mosaic it’s my map it’s your map
the mosaic it’s my map it’s your map
the mosaic it’s my map it’s your map there are our maps and are they always
there are our maps and are they always
there are our maps and are they always destined to remain incomplete I wonder
destined to remain incomplete I wonder
destined to remain incomplete I wonder now let’s think about that box why
now let’s think about that box why
now let’s think about that box why should it be only childlike curiosity
should it be only childlike curiosity
should it be only childlike curiosity the complexity the richness the beauty
the complexity the richness the beauty
the complexity the richness the beauty and the mystery it may be hidden plates
and the mystery it may be hidden plates
and the mystery it may be hidden plates accessible what if
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