Response to the Ted Talks from Module 1

In this Ted Talk, Shannon Galpin speaks a lot about her work in Afganistan, and the power of bikes to spur a revolution in thought regarding women’s equality. Her ability to connect and string together her ideas and experiences in a logical progression, combined with a projection of confidence and determination, compelled me to continue the video and find her conclusions both meaningful and realistic. However, the other Ted Talk I watched, with a focus on the effect of bikes on cities versus that of cars, yielded a different experience. The speaker stumbled through note cards unconvincingly, often starting unrelated parts of her talk, then correcting herself, which only served to weaken her argument, despite it being one that I adamantly agree with. At times she seemed to be trying too hard to appeal to pathos, (Something along the lines of “This woman’s baby will die because of the pollution from cars,” was the most extreme example of this.) rather than establishing a solid ethos to build upon. I too see the negative effects cars have on cities, and how cities like Amsterdam have a noticeably more communal, connected feel, while reflecting the environmental and health benefits people get from biking. Yet, the presentation left me underwhelmed, and shed light on the huge impact the delivery of a talk has on its objective.