John Francis: Walk the earth ... my 17-year vow of silence | TED
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- Опубліковано 5 лис 2008
- For almost three decades, John Francis has been a planetwalker, traveling the globe by foot and sail with a message of environmental respect and responsibility (for 10 of those years without speaking). A funny, thoughtful talk with occasional banjo.
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I know Mr. Francis in real life. What a friendly man he is.
Reid Shriver What a moron and a waste of a life
@@MrThe1234guy Your mentality is a disease, You are a leech..
Reid Shriver ~ he really does generally seem to be.
yeah me too bro. i smoked weed with him and Barack Obama
Kind, resilient and brilliant. He's my inspiration to keep on. If there's will, there is a way.
I feel his emotion when he talks about people coming to hear him speak. Waiting 17 years to be heard is profound.
A girl once asked me, ' Why can't I find a guy like you?' I said " I don't know, if I see a guy like me, I'll ask him.
Lol
A woman once asked me, "where are all the good men?"I replied, "At work taking care of a woman."
@bobbyjones-uv5cn Lol why gotta support her while she chilling 😎
I tried not talking for a while but my mother kept yelling at me for it.
NobodyInTraining Shhhh...
Julius Red wow really, i bet he didnt think of that
Yep I got yelled at too and I wrote my granny a note to say I’m not speaking and she threw the note across the room ppl get really triggered when they can’t get narcissistic supply or your mental attention or energy.
😁
Currently reading his book had to find this. I'm so inspired. ❤️
We are abusing our senses. We are taking in so much information without thinking about them. This is such a great video. I'm completely moved.
This is an amazing story, it's so sad that this would be essentially impossible these days. I'm autistic and don't like talking, I've often wished I could just go completely silent, but it's so hard in today's overly busy, overly loud world where you have to communicate just to get by.
I don't like talking. My thoughts become very busy when people are talking around me. I become so immersed in what everyone else is saying and how it makes me feel. I run through my internal hamster wheel interpreting what was just said. Once I figure that out, I'll think about what I have to say and then say it. I am not autistic, just sensitive.
Sometimes the people who say nothing at all say the most... remember that.
I know someone who walked in silence for the first 100 days of a march across the country. She refused to speak or even write down words and would only make up a sign language of gestures, humming a tune, or laughing. Sometimes she would even cry and once she ran off to hide in a tree because our words of argument and non-communicating were so frustrating.
She kept signing for togetherness. She did this for the sake of those without a voice. She was on the Great March for Climate Action and we were all walking to "change the national conversation about the climate crisis". I'll say she did more to change our "conversation" into real communication than anyone else. After that 100 days she spoke because we agreed that someone would choose a day of silence for each day of the march and that we would do it in relay until we got to Washington, D.C. I think that was a profound lesson. She changed us with love and listening. Hugs, a song, and the gleam of love in your eyes can change the world around you. It can probably change the world.
any more info? Wonderful story
Really really beautiful story.
It will change the world. Thank you for this.
John Francis is my new hero. I have recently contemplated taking a vow of silence, and a simple Google search led me here. I work in the maritime industry as a Pilot boat Master, and John's sentiments about motorised vehicles resonated with my own thoughts. Every time I push those throttles I'm thinking about how much emissions are being burnt into our air. Having read Buddhist ideas of good livelihood, I know that my career brings stress to both the environment and myself. I've been working on a 5 year plan on how to leave this line of work, this talk is really is inspirational, I feel that finding this has helped me to commit to my goals.
I have taken a vow of silence after attending vipassana meditation course from this month.. And I am going to practice this for my whole life.. Right now only 50 words I spead in a day that too I am trying to reduce wherever possible 🤞🎯 it's a very liberating kind of experience..
And such an amazing voice it is.
BoxANT Yeah and he wasted so long
For me the less you talk and the more you listen leads to more understanding.
I knew Mr Francis in West Cape May: walking. What a genuine man!!
Carlos P. Perú 🇵🇪
What a great story teller .. I can imagine sitting around a fire with my daughter.. listening to a story with life lessons intertwined.
Thank you. Really enjoyed it.
I talk so much I have almost an overwhelming feeling of responsibility to "teach" people. This morning I had an emotional awakening to take a vow of silence. This video was wonderful. Thank You and WOW!❤
Silence Is Like The EARTH, IT SPEAKS VOLUMES; UNIVERSAL GALACTIC SOUNDS...
This is so powerful!
I have never been inspired by anyone other than my father anywhere near as much as by John Francis. I am altering my lifestyle radically, but aspire to live totally car free someday soon.
what an incredible story... after hearing this i will try to be silent for an hour a day. who knows it mite change my perspective and teach me to listen more! he is the american version of gandi and i'm proud to have watched this...peace everyone and have a good day or night. which ever finds you best...
So inspiring; so humble. remarkable. What a difference maker!
i really loved this man
This is so amazing, absolutely my favorite TED video I've seen so far.
It's interesting to see how different a lifestyle John has pursued and how he has become.
I can't help wonder how he ate and survived for those 7 years walking across the Continent.
this guy is simply amazing
The world needs more of this type of courage.
Aw man, I really needed to hear this! :) I've been on the cusp of a big life decision for the past year, and I've been hesitant to leave behind the security that I've built up for myself, over the course of my entire life. But I know that I need to, in order to become the person that I want to become in the end. And I've been feeling as though remaining in this secure bubble that I've created for myself, has actually been hindering me. It's been making me anxious and restless and helpless. I've become comfortable and dependent on my current situation, and have become controlling an uneasy, in that I don't want it to change. But those very feelings are the reason I NEED it to change. To be comfortable with change, and to be comfortable to break down those walls that I've built up for myself, to be able to step beyond them to become the person that I truly want to be. It may be difficult, but it will make me happier, in the long run! Thank you! This is exactly what I needed to hear! :)
Slush Guppy I came across your comment and I must know, did you make the big step? Whatever you decided I hope it went well!
Slush Guppy me too 💚
You can do anything if you believe in yourself man, make the move
incredible... for 20 minutes i just couldnt take my eyes off the screen. DAMN!
I went through a very short no-talking phase when I was 11. Later I decided I like talking because it helps me connect to other people.
who would dislike this? really i met the man and it was amazing! he is a huge inspiration, a very king and very funny man. and for me it was an honor
John Francis's book Planet Walker is amazing. What an inspirational man and story!
Amen! You encourage me!
a wonderful talk. and a really great message. never seen anything like it. we should strive to be a little bit like him, while striving to "be" ourselves.
I really enjoyed this talk. He's right about the silence: it's a moving experience. I haven't really realized it before. I wouldn't necessarily define me as a quiet person, but I am often in a sort of silent mood, and you're able to hear things and understand others in a way you didn't before.
Thank you.
Holy crap that was amazing! That's one of the best TED talks ever.
Yeah
truly inspiring, and really get you thinking about the importance and necessity of language, or possibly the true lack there of
I saw him in 2007. I’m a lot older but today he’s still an inspiration.
Sou brasileiro e gostei muito da sua história e vou mim incentivar em você, não ficando sem falar por 17 anos mais por ser uma pessoa que não desiste, uma pessoa esforçada.
Incrível incrível sua história
I found comfort in silence when I was still a child full of questions and some hurts and perhaps would be on it again in this season but not necessarily because of pain.
I would recommend his book!
wonderful..
breathtaking!
Thanks TED
AMAZINGGGGG
speechless xx
hes saying that, the way to make people start caring about the enviroment is to make them care about eachother, however hard that may be.
If you think of us as indifferent to eachother, we use pollution and ignorance of the damage as a metaphorical attack on eachother. We dont care about how we damage eachother, hence we dont care that we are polluting and harming eachother
I never comment on videos. This was amazing,
it's great to be able to learn from this incredible story!
Beside every wonderful word he just said, beside every inspiring, mind blowing stories he just tell, I love love the way he smiles and the brightness in his eyes. It catchs me and yes he just touched me, my heart. ❤😊😊👍👍
I loved the environmentalists. "We are environment. If we see how we treated eachother, we see how we treated environment. ", "If we can change the way we treated eachother(from bad to good), we can change the world for good."
Awesome video. 👍👍😇
I really admire this man's courage!!!
very inspiring story
great video, everyone should see this
amazing!!
So powerful
Thank you @JohnFrancis I love travelling from my inner heart. So TED talks, like John Francis walks the Earth, really give me a big image what the human can really have done on our mother earth. In one life, what it really matters if I could keep walking on.
Amazing.
Amazing
What a legend!
beautiful
Profound. Thank you 🙏🏼💜
Oh wow. I was born and raised in Missoula Montana and am still here
I'm impressed with him, and I feel there is something to learn, but I feel I need to feel for myself the passion to change in such a way.
Incredible story. I'm inspired, I just don'k know how or do what end. Time will tell!
InsectRoyalty 8 years later... Did you find the passion to change?
That was amazing.
Amphioxus no it wasn't
awesome!
The Hero's Journey
I turned 16 the day you began to speak!
this is so heavy! thank you!
Dominique Stromer 💛💛💛💛💛
Serious?
I surely hope so!
wow I admired you
Truly inspiring.
Rosanella :-)
Thank you, Santi2c!
Wow!
John Francis is the lorax.
I SPEAK FOR THE TREES
Wow, this guy has lived the life most of us dream of... or do in retirement. Well, with the talking.
GREAT ONE LOVE
Another beautiful speaker on this subject of treatent of ourselves an others is World Peace Diet.
damn that was deep.
remarkable
Justin Bolz remarkable how stupid he is
Instead of voting you down like a lot of other people, I think that's a valid question. What is the point? Well, I'd say to try and consider how 'life would be like' if people were to take his approach, but I too have the same skepticism. Why live for anyone but yourself? Giving to yourself, in my opinion; is essential, before you can give to others. It's really not up to anyone else but you to come up with the 'point' of changing. No one else can convince you to change, it's up to you.
The description of this video holds nothing to how real and important this talk really is.
Saw him in Minneapolis at the U of MN. Great, great storyteller and speaker, especially live. And of course, the banjo sounds better live as well - the video camera narrows and distorts the audio. I own the book now, it kicks ass. That's my two cents!
This would be an excellent challenge.
I don't know if I could do it for 24 hours.
wow.
ROLE MODEL!
7thegirlinglass7 NOT
April 22. Earthday baby! And my name is Charles!
I watched this because I want to make video games, but I am struggling with making art, using tools that are produced in sweatshops--computers, tablets, VR headsets, etc. But my original desire was to speak to people today, and over and above what I feel I need to teach people about my experience and ideas, I want to give them a mirror in which they can see clearly. So if that means making games that simply make people take a look at themselves, then I will have fulfilled my desire...
I don't necessarily understand you, but you shared your vision. Sounds like a good plan to me.
@@wayfaringstranger8430 Sorry, I didn't explain fully, I was talking about feeling guilty about the environment/sweatshop workers producing computers that people play video games on.
lets change then!
I have done it but not for so long. I still fast this way.
Astounding, Possibly my favorite TED yet.
Same here.
“On occasion, I would become so wedded to my thoughts, to some cascade of ideas that I actually lost touch with the details that my body was still gathering, from a place.
The ear heard the song of a vesper sparrow, the mind pleased with itself for identifying those notes as the song of a vesper sparrow was too occupied, with its summary to notice that the ear was still offering. The mind was making no use of the body's ability to be discerning, about sounds. So the mind's knowledge of the place, remains superficial.”
- Barry Lopez
Honest question. Does using text or writing things down violate the vow? Non-verbal communication has taught me so much. You must see the language of human emotion in the subtlety.
He's so nerdy and I look it!
i saw him at the wilcox presentation 10/7/09! i asked him to sign my chest!
This man’s book...
cool guy
Seriously. Just watch this video.
John Francis took a 17 yr. vow of silence and swore off motorized vehicles for 20 years after an oil spill in the SF Bay.
In that time, he earned a B.A., a Masters and his PhD, all while walking around the country.
He taught college while not speaking, and is one of the world's leading experts on on oil spills.
👏
I got here because of the video of "Você Sabia" ♥️
totally
My name is John Francis. :P
@epikteta you're kiddin, you couldn't just tell them that home was ahead of you? How far did you get from you're home. I wanna hear about this!