What If Children Were More Than Cute? | Mark Doerries | TEDxUND
Mark Doris builds a choir from the ground up out of anxiety, claiming the singers are his tools rather than the other way around; his central claim is that the choir's future members are far more than just "cute," evidenced by the powerful performance from Gwth Landow, who declares, *“cute doesn't even scratch the surface.”*
## Speakers & Context
- **Mark Doris:** Dedicates himself to building a choir at Notre Dame, despite being an "extremely anxious person" who initially felt he needed the choir to prove his excellence to Westminster Cathedral or the Chicago Symphony.
- **Gwth Landow:** Performer who delivers a piece arguing that perceived "cuteness" in children masks profound intellectual and emotional depth.
- **Choir/Singers:** The collective group supported by Mark Doris; they are characterized by being loud, noisy, smelly, sickly, dirty, needy, and crying, but are also described as having tremendous potential.
## Theses & Positions
- Mark Doris initially views the singers as potential *tools* to validate his own excellence.
- Mark Doris ultimately reclaims ownership, stating, "No I am excited to tell you that I am their tool... No I am not in control they are in control."
- The concept of "cute" is a disappointing phrase that underrepresents the capabilities of children.
- Children are capable of much more than superficial appeal; their intelligence and ideas are often disregarded.
- *“We are more than cute”* is the core message: potential is defined by intellectual resources and the "want for Success," not physical appearance.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **"Cute Factor":** A phrase that conveys a sense of resignation and undermines perceived excellence.
- **"Cute":** Used by the singers to mean superficially appealing, but which they explicitly argue "doesn't even scratch the surface."
- **"More than cute":** The state of being intellectually equipped, emotionally profound, and capable of shaping the future world.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Choir Building:** The process where Mark Doris took the job at Notre Dame and built a choir from scratch, intending it to be a showcase for his skill.
- **Idea Suppression:** The mechanism where children's ideas are "pushed aside because we are viewed as inexperienced," trapping their voices.
- **Self-Definition:** The singers use performative art (singing, speaking) to consciously assert their multifaceted identities: *“I am a student an athlete a dancer a singer a violinist and a girl scout.”*
## Named Entities
- **Westminster Cathedral** — Institution whose call Mark Doris was waiting for.
- **Chicago Symphony** — Institution whose call Mark Doris was waiting for.
- **Juliard** — Institution whose call Mark Doris was waiting for.
- **Notre Dame** — The institution where Mark Doris eventually built his choir.
## Numbers & Data
- Initial choir size: **20** singers.
- Current choir size: **120** singers.
- Singers currently standing before the audience: **35**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Mark Doris's career path:** Expected to be a temporary "hold over" job until a major symphony called; ended up building the choir at Notre Dame.
- **Singer Self-Descriptions:** Multiple instances of singers detailing multiple roles: *"I am a daughter a sister a granddaughter a niece and a cousin / I'm a friend a teammate a teacher and a leader."*
- **Future Aspiration List:** Cited examples of future success: *“...my future will be determined by more than my looks but by my intellectual resources and my want for Success.”*
## Timeline & Sequence
- **Past:** Mark Doris was expecting a call from Westminster Cathedral, the Chicago Symphony, or Juliard.
- **Present:** The current performance and dedication of the choir at Notre Dame.
- **Future:** The singers assert they are "the future CEO's and athletes and Scholars teachers priests pastors sculptors biologist researchers."
## Tools, Tech & Products
- None explicitly named, apart from the act of singing and the presentation of the choir itself.
## References Cited
- None.
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **"Cute" vs. Depth:** The alternative to being seen as merely cute is being seen as intellectually powerful and deserving of serious consideration.
- **Tool vs. Agent:** Mark Doris initially saw the choir as his tool; he pivots to seeing them as the agent guiding him.
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Mark Doris admits to being highly anxious and needing to feel in control.
- The underlying anxiety suggests a fear of failure and external validation.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The central message is a directive to the audience: *“Please listen to us we are more than cute.”*
- The global outcome suggested is that if children are given the platform to speak, *"the world would be a happier place."*
## Implications & Consequences
- The inherent value of intellectual contribution ("intellectual resources") supersedes superficial appeal ("looks").
- The performance itself becomes an activist statement demanding equal weight for childish ideas.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"I am a person of dedication I like to see things through to the end but as these singers behind me will tell you I am also an extremely anxious person"*
- *"I'm proud to be their nurturer and their guide on this adventure that we're on"*
- *"I am not in control they are in control"*
- *"are they cute they have so much more than that"*
- *"I am more than cute I am studious hopeful kind and sensitive"*
- *"I'm wonderful powerful beautiful special and and important and I am more than cute I'm the future president of the United States"*
- *"cute doesn't even scratch the surface"*
- *"If we help children find their voice the world would be a happier place"*