New York Times pundit David Brooks describes a plan to rebuild broken communities and offers actionable steps to live a more meaningful life. (Audio only)

Columnist David Brooks unpacks new insights into human nature from the cognitive sciences -- insights with massive implications for economics and politics as well as our own self-knowledge. In a talk full of humor, he shows how you can't hope to understand humans as separate individuals making choices based on their conscious awareness.

Our society is in the midst of a social crisis, says op-ed columnist and author David Brooks: we're trapped in a valley of isolation and fragmentation. How do we find our way out? Based on his travels across the United States -- and his meetings with a range of exceptional people known as "weavers" -- Brooks lays out his vision for a cultural re...

Within each of us are two selves, suggests David Brooks in this meditative short talk: the self who craves success, who builds a résumé, and the self who seeks connection, community, love -- the values that make for a great eulogy. (Joseph Soloveitchik has called these selves "Adam I" and "Adam II.") Brooks asks: Can we balance these two selves?

How can we bridge the gap between left and right to have a wiser, more connected political conversation? Journalist Gretchen Carlson and op-ed columnist David Brooks share insights on the tensions at the heart of American politics today -- and where we can find common ground. Followed by a rousing performance of "America the Beautiful" by Vy Hig...

Using paychecks, perks and carefully worded mission statements plastered on posters, companies are on a never-ending quest to find what drives morale at work. An underappreciated solution lies in the answer to one simple question, says management researcher David Burkus. With notable examples backed by decades of success, he presents a clear pat...

How much do you get paid? How does it compare to the people you work with? You should know, and so should they, says management researcher David Burkus. In this talk, Burkus questions our cultural assumptions around keeping salaries secret and makes a compelling case for why sharing them could benefit employees, organizations and society.

You may be familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. After decades of research and his own experience with tragic loss, grief expert David Kessler ventured beyond that classic framework and sought a sixth, crucial stage: meaning. He shares practical wisdom and strategies for anyone seeking to h...

Israel and Palestine have grappled with enduring territorial disputes and complex geopolitical tensions across generations. In this profound TED Membership conversation, Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad and Israeli founder of Idealist.org Ami Dar envision a future built on mutual respect, recognition and nonviolent activism, where both i...

Exclusive: In his first public interview since WeWork's collapse, former chief growth officer David Fano opens up about the company's leadership and culture. We go deep on the rewards and risks of charismatic leadership and bold visions, the differences between strong cultures and cults, and how a meteoric rise can come crashing down. (Audio only)

As we age, we often feel like the clock starts ticking on our careers. But there are ways to sustain -- and even gain -- excellence over time. Meet a musician whose career ended too soon, and an entrepreneur and a social media star who defied the stereotypes on professional decline. They illuminate steps that fuel great second and third acts. (A...

Most of us think an inspiring purpose must be a bold and lofty ambition. And most leaders think that to communicate a purpose that truly inspires, they need a compelling answer to the question “Why do we do what we do?” But it turns out that most people are less inspired by a compelling answer to “Why?” and more motivated by a clear answer to th...

What if all the advice we've heard about networking is wrong? What if it's not about meeting strangers but about getting a better understanding of the existing network that’s already around you? In this talk David Burkus, author of the book "Friend of a Friend," examines the science of how networks work and reveals what the best networkers reall...