Barry Schwartz: The real crisis? We stopped being wise

6 Comments leave a comment below

  1. thank you so much for posting this.

  2. I too stumbled upon this video on TED a few weeks ago, watching it on my iPod touch while I was sick in bed. Definitely a great presentation – one that I know I’m going to have to watch again. I hope Obama watches it too!

  3. Well Ron, as they say, “Hope in one hand…”

    I agree this is an inspirational talk which I say a couple of weeks back, but I don’t think it has much to say about the current crisis other than to give you a feel-good vibe.

    Past and current presidents and administrations have conspired to bring about a DOW below 7,000 and heading for 5,000. You don’t dig out of that hole quickly. Wisdom’s got little to do with at that point.

  4. I was lucky enough to be at TED in Palm Springs this year and Barry Schwartz’s was by far the most important talk… it accurately summed up a collective feeling from the conference: that humanity is at the core of our businesses, and we need to engage there first.

    Unlike Ron, I don’t think Obama needs to watch this, but rather anyone who manages people, runs a business, or has C_O for a title. We need to empower the moral virtue in employees and it starts with leadership that embodies it and rewards it—I’d say President Obama is one of a few public figures working to do just that.

    Thanks for helping to spread the word on this pivotal, but rarely-addressed topic.

  5. “I’d say President Obama is one of a few public figures working to do just that.”

    Well, I’d have to say that the jury is still out, way out, on that assertion. Just exactly what and who this is going to be good for, outside of incumbent politicians of all stripes, is very difficult to discern.

  6. Reports like this:

    When Barack Obama met with TV anchors at a White House lunch last week, he assured them he likes being president. “And it turns out I’m very good at it,” he added.

    don’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling when coming from somebody in a job about 30 days. Instead I start thinking “narcissist CEO.”