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Tali Sharot: The optimism bias

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Published on May 14, 2012

http://www.ted.com Are we born to be optimistic, rather than realistic? Tali Sharot shares new research that suggests our brains are wired to look on the bright side -- and how that can be both dangerous and beneficial.


TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate

If you have questions or comments about this or other TED videos, please go to http://support.ted.com

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Top Comments

  • ForTheEpicFail

    shes hot...and smart...and hotter cause she's smart

    · 35

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  • BleueDeLaRue

    When I get married I'm going to say the chance of divorce is 0% likelihood. But that's only so that my wife won't fucking kill me.

    · 10

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All Comments (345)

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  • MyOnlyFarph

    Interesting. Both top comments are dumb.

    ·

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  • Johnny Müller

    could not watch further, smacking was effing annoying.

    today optimism equals laziness to improve the current state, you cant expect the best out of nothing. that would be luck.

    true optimism demands work and realistic goals.

    ·

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  • xknowledgeisfreex

    i luv my optimism bias. I'm gonna live forever!!!! weee

    ·

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  • Omegamer

    No, she says very clearly, BRING a parachute. Embrace your cognitive illusions INTELLIGENTLY. Plan. Then believe.

    ·

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    in reply to Nikonia DiRaddo (Show the comment)
  • Omegamer

    Anything can be a science so long as it can be subjected to the scientific method. The only difference between the physics as a science and psychology as a science, is that one is more complex than the other and thus is more variable when measured.

    ·

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    in reply to sameer137 (Show the comment)
  • dribflow

    Dat lip-smacks and high-pitched breath intakes... O.o

    On the other hand - dat 'aebout' and 'aelter' -> hot.

    Good talk, though. :)

    ·

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  • junjun3desu

    one of my favorite TED talks.

    what she's saying itself is amazing, but the way she delivers and organizes are also perfect.

    as one of the optimists, I need listen to this as much as possible.

    ·

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  • psychobollox

    how's about you fuck off and stop being stupid.... oh, wait .... your parents really did a good job making you stupid.

    you want to stay an idiot - your choice. but stop forcing your fucking stupidity on me.

    ·

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    in reply to sameer137 (Show the comment)
  • sameer137

    No they're not. The only sciences are physics, chemistry and biology. And that's all. Good luck having no job with those worthless degrees!

    ·

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    in reply to psychobollox (Show the comment)
  • DotcomIL

    No, she is Israeli born

    ·

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    in reply to holypicklesmofo (Show the comment)
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