The Subtle Art of the Spoken Word | Omar Farah | TEDxUAlberta
## Speaker Context * Speaker: Omar Farah (also goes by Nada Farah). * Setting/Occasion: Second time speaking on a "little red dot." * Framing: Describes self as "an engineer in training and a poet on Tuesdays." ## People * Douglas Adams: Author whose book, *Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*, contains the passage about the meaning of life. * Queen Victoria: Died at age 42; had 42 grandchildren. * Prince Albert: Victoria's husband; died at age 42. * Edward the eighth: Abdicated at age 42. * Harry: Character referenced in the context of the phrase "you're a wizard." * The Doctor Who episode: Titled "42" and lasts exactly 42 minutes. * Michael Jackson: Artist whose album *Thriller* lasts exactly 42 minutes. * Pink Floyd: Band whose album *The Dark Side of the Moon* lasts exactly 42 minutes. * ACDC: Band whose album *Back in Black* lasts exactly 42 minutes. * Jeffrey Sachs: Harvard professor, worked alongside the UN, and was the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia. * Michelle Obama: Mentioned in the context of high-profile speakers who charge high fees. * Leonardo: Actor referenced in a hypothetical future movie. * Dante: Character referenced in a hypothetical future movie. * Rakesh: Name associated with a hypothetical future movie. * Samuel Jackson: Name associated with a hypothetical future movie. ## Organizations * UN: Organization worked alongside by Jeffrey Sachs. ## Places * Somalia: Origin place for the speaker. * Horn of Africa: Location of the speaker's aunt. * Hawaii: Mentioned as a potential vacation destination. * Denmark: Mentioned as a potential vacation destination. * Colombia: Country mentioned in relation to a birthplace granting privilege. * Sierra Leone: Country where the meaning of life is 50. * Egypt: Location where a group of students used technology to overthrow a regime. * Tunisia: Location where students used technology to overthrow a regime. * Libya: Location where students used technology to overthrow a regime. ## Tools, Tech & Products * iPhone 6: Used by the speaker to record an incident involving police. * Technology/Tool (General): Ability to send a thought from up here to thumbs across the ocean in a matter of a second. * Groupon (Implied mechanism): Used for service/experiences (context for "buying a new car"). ## Concepts & Definitions * Numerology: Field of study balanced against poetry. * The Meaning of Life: Concept stated to be 82.14 years exactly. * Poetry: The speaker's perceived means to an end; a form of expression. * Dialogue: Believed to be one of the greatest powers; the first step to solving world problems. * Notion of Privilege: Being born in a specific place. * Black Lives Matter: Movement cited as a concept, compared to a movie. ## Numbers & Data * 42: The alleged answer to life, the universe, and everything. * 10 years: Duration associated with 42-related jokes. * 42: Age at which Queen Victoria and Prince Albert died. * 42: Number of grandchildren Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had. * 42: Age at which Edward the eighth abdicated. * 42: Page number where the phrase "you're a wizard" was found. * 42 minutes: Duration of the *Doctor Who* episode titled 42. * 42 minutes: Duration of the albums *Back in Black*, *The Dark Side of the Moon*, and *Thriller*. * 42 kilometers per hour: Alleged speed of the Titanic before hitting the iceberg. * 82.14: Exact number stated for the meaning of life. * 82 years: Total lifespan suggested by the speaker. * One third (of lifespan): Estimated time spent in bed. * 27 years: Estimated time spent resting in bed. * 55 years: Estimated time left to live to the fullest extent. * 10 years: Time period during which one doesn't really exist (before education). * K to 12: Educational span mentioned. * 3 years: Time given for "Miss Cunningham" (mishearing/misremembered reference?); also the time required for meal prep/cooking/eating. * 4.3 years: Total time spent in structured activity (school, travel, etc.). * 20 to 65: Age range for non-stop work. * 40 hours a week: Standard working hours. * 10.3 years: Time lost working from dusk until dark (context of vacation). * 32 hours a month: Time spent looking at a phone or desktop. * 3.2 years: Duration equivalent to 32 hours per month spent on screens. * 24-hour: Reference to the news cycle. * 1134: Number of young black men killed in 2015/2016. * 2015/2016: Years associated with the 1134 deaths. ## Claims & Theses * The answer to life, the universe and everything is 42. (Questioned/Deconstructed) * Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dying at age 42 is a coincidence. * The constellation of "42" pops up multiple times in pop culture (Doctor Who, albums, etc.), suggesting a pattern. * The true meaning of life is 82.14 years to be exact. * The structure of life is predictable: 3 years for basic maintenance, 10 years not really existing, and then the rest. * Money is a tool/means to an end; we love what it can *do*. * Spoken word is the speaker's form, but dialogue specifically is one of the greatest powers we all have. * Somalia has a history of resolving conflicts via poetry/rhetoric. * The ability to communicate globally instantly (via technology) has immense power. * The most important thing is the place you were born. * If you have the opportunity to kiss your loved ones, do it and don't hold back. * The police action described was an overreach of power, exceeding legal boundaries. ## Mechanisms & Processes * Process of life's expenditure: Spending lifespan on education, work, and maintenance (meal prep). * Mechanism of critique: Using poetry/writing to "inspire to bring about change" or "critique the world." * Mechanism of conflict resolution (Somali context): Two tribes sending their best poets to confront rivals, where the winner proves their case rhetorically, preventing bloodshed. * Process of silencing: Targeting the marginalized group (Black people) through police action where accusations are made despite evidence of wrongdoing. ## Timeline & Events * Past (Anecdotal): Victoria/Albert dying at age 42. * Present/Recent: The speaker's current address on the "little red dot." * Current/Hypothetical: The use of technology to overthrow regimes in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. * Past (Historical): The tradition in Somalia of poets resolving inter-tribal conflicts. * Past (Incident): The event recorded on the iPhone 6 involving police misconduct. ## Examples & Cases * Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dying at age 42. * The finding on page 42: "you're a wizard." * The coincidence of three albums (ACDC, Pink Floyd, MJ) lasting 42 minutes. * The Titanic's speed relative to the iceberg: 42 kilometers per hour. * The speaker's experience meeting Asha, the little girl, and answering her question about poetry. * The hypothetical test: Being given $50,000 and having to spend it on something better than the initial proposed item (e.g., going home to loved ones). * The use of modern technology to support movements in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. * The incident recorded on the iPhone 6: Police misconduct involving a brother who "had no blood left to bleed." * The reference to "nine black lives that mattered" comparison. ## Trade-offs & Alternatives * Writing poetry vs. balancing it with numerology. * Physical confrontation (swords) vs. Rhetorical confrontation (poets/dialogue). * Technological solution (throwing money/tech at problems) vs. addressing local stories and mannerisms. * Telling the truth (e.g., "I don't love poetry") vs. giving a prepared, deeply philosophical answer. ## Counterarguments & Caveats * The coincidences regarding 42 are listed as "coincidence possibly." * The speaker notes the audience might find the 42 jokes unnecessary. * "Feel free to fight me on this" (regarding the poem's timeline). * "It's a tool... it's a means to an end" (describing money/poetry). * "Our speech doesn't necessarily hold more weight than mine does; someone in this room might have a louder voice than mine but that's all good." * "It's an accomplishment if 82 is your digit because in Somalia it's 55 in Nigeria it's 54 make the most of your 82 because it is 50 in Sierra Leone." ## Methodology * Observation/Research: The speaker researched coincidences related to the number 42. * Oratory/Rhetoric: The speaker's method of speaking and storytelling is central to the argument. * Comparison: Comparing modern problem-solving methods (technology, money) to historical/cultural solutions (poetry, dialogue). ## References Cited * *Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy* (Book by Douglas Adams). * Biblical/Philosophical Concept: The "meaning of life." * Historical/Cultural Precedent: Somali poetic confrontations between tribes. * Legal/Social Example: The incident involving the police recording. ## Conclusions & Recommendations * The speaker advises that the "real privilege you have is in the place that you were born." * The direct call to action: "if you have that opportunity to kiss your loved ones hold them tell them goodbye kiss your mother if you still can and don't hold back." * The overarching belief: Dialogue is the necessary first step to solving world problems. * The duty: It is "your duty and our duty to mankind to help the cries that are often the most silenced to be heard." * The implied message (via the movie analogy): The story of police misconduct should be recognized and shared. ## Implications & Consequences * If the concept of "place of birth" is true, it determines a person's potential lifespan metric (82 vs 55, etc.). * Failure to embrace dialogue means continuing to resort to technology or money, which the speaker argues is insufficient. * Ignoring the plea for rights/justice (as demonstrated by the police incident) has severe, lasting consequences. ## Open Questions * How does one truly determine the "meaning of life"? * What is the optimal balance between poetry and numerology? * How can modern societies revive the communicative power of dialogue over technology? ## Verbatim Moments * "I'm an engineer in training and a poet on Tuesdays." * "the answer to life the universe and everything 42" * "the true meaning of life is eighty to eighty two point one four to be exact" * "your hugs your kisses and your money all stacked" * "I'll show you how 82 is already under wraps" * "I don't love poetry and then she ran to all of her friends is like he's a fraud he's a fraud" * "we love what the money can do it's a tools it's a means to an ends" * "our voice your speech doesn't necessarily hold more weight than mine does" * "I'm asking Who am I to call when the police are doing wrong" * "I said I got this on camera but he said nah we'll just crop their idea of a throwback on a Thursday" * "No justice no peace and no racist police"