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Recognizing Our Mutual Humanity | Nicholas French | TEDxCranbrookSchools


hello everybody it makes me so happy to

hello everybody it makes me so happy to speak with you all today you know it

speak with you all today you know it

speak with you all today you know it really reminds me of when I was in your

really reminds me of when I was in your

really reminds me of when I was in your grade and honestly we’re not even too

grade and honestly we’re not even too

grade and honestly we’re not even too far off now

far off now

far off now I have a question for all of you doesn’t

I have a question for all of you doesn’t

I have a question for all of you doesn’t it feel wonderful when someone smiles at

it feel wonderful when someone smiles at

it feel wonderful when someone smiles at you and they opened the door for you

you and they opened the door for you

you and they opened the door for you when they truly consider how you’re

when they truly consider how you’re

when they truly consider how you’re feeling and thus act upon it well I know

feeling and thus act upon it well I know

feeling and thus act upon it well I know it does because it makes me feel

it does because it makes me feel

it does because it makes me feel wonderful and inspires me to do the same

wonderful and inspires me to do the same

wonderful and inspires me to do the same for others but sometimes it can be a

for others but sometimes it can be a

for others but sometimes it can be a little bit difficult it can feel like

little bit difficult it can feel like

little bit difficult it can feel like we’re surrounded by a lot of mean people

we’re surrounded by a lot of mean people

we’re surrounded by a lot of mean people and sometimes it can be hard to be nice

and sometimes it can be hard to be nice

and sometimes it can be hard to be nice but I’m here to speak with all of you

but I’m here to speak with all of you

but I’m here to speak with all of you about how we can spread kindness in a

about how we can spread kindness in a

about how we can spread kindness in a way that is positive and actually pretty

way that is positive and actually pretty

way that is positive and actually pretty easy we’ve all heard of the Golden Rule

easy we’ve all heard of the Golden Rule

easy we’ve all heard of the Golden Rule right street unto others as you would

right street unto others as you would

right street unto others as you would have others do unto you

have others do unto you

have others do unto you basically take a little while to step

basically take a little while to step

basically take a little while to step into somebody else’s shoes and walk in

into somebody else’s shoes and walk in

into somebody else’s shoes and walk in them

them

them a lot of but a lot of the times it seems

a lot of but a lot of the times it seems

a lot of but a lot of the times it seems like other people are so different right

like other people are so different right

like other people are so different right they might like different things or they

they might like different things or they

they might like different things or they might talk with different people or they

might talk with different people or they

might talk with different people or they might even enjoy something that we have

might even enjoy something that we have

might even enjoy something that we have never even heard of but here’s the

never even heard of but here’s the

never even heard of but here’s the magical part they’re not too different

magical part they’re not too different

magical part they’re not too different from you they’re not too different from

from you they’re not too different from

from you they’re not too different from me and they’re definitely not too

me and they’re definitely not too

me and they’re definitely not too different from the person sitting right

different from the person sitting right

different from the person sitting right next to you they all like to be treated

next to you they all like to be treated

next to you they all like to be treated with kindness

with kindness

with kindness recognizing that familiar need for

recognizing that familiar need for

recognizing that familiar need for kindness and acting upon it is a little

kindness and acting upon it is a little

kindness and acting upon it is a little something that we like to call empathy

something that we like to call empathy

something that we like to call empathy you see whether it be just giving

you see whether it be just giving

you see whether it be just giving somebody a pat on the back or

somebody a pat on the back or

somebody a pat on the back or recognizing that it might not be that

recognizing that it might not be that

recognizing that it might not be that easy for the new kids to fit in or

easy for the new kids to fit in or

easy for the new kids to fit in or simply helping out a friend who’s going

simply helping out a friend who’s going

simply helping out a friend who’s going through a tough time

through a tough time

through a tough time all of those are wonderful examples of

all of those are wonderful examples of

all of those are wonderful examples of empathy

empathy

empathy and the truth is we do it every day

and the truth is we do it every day

and the truth is we do it every day being able to see someone else’s

being able to see someone else’s

being able to see someone else’s struggle and live beside them in harmony

struggle and live beside them in harmony

struggle and live beside them in harmony is one of the many glorious things that

is one of the many glorious things that

is one of the many glorious things that make us human beings but as I said

make us human beings but as I said

make us human beings but as I said before sometimes it can be a little bit

before sometimes it can be a little bit

before sometimes it can be a little bit hard to be empathetic right you may have

hard to be empathetic right you may have

hard to be empathetic right you may have been hurt by someone else or we may have

been hurt by someone else or we may have

been hurt by someone else or we may have heard somebody else and we don’t even

heard somebody else and we don’t even

heard somebody else and we don’t even truly know why but here are a couple of

truly know why but here are a couple of

truly know why but here are a couple of steps to help you step back and handle a

steps to help you step back and handle a

steps to help you step back and handle a situation and truly achieve empathy

situation and truly achieve empathy

situation and truly achieve empathy number one just breathe been presented

number one just breathe been presented

number one just breathe been presented with the tough situation or

with the tough situation or

with the tough situation or confrontation our minds can easily

confrontation our minds can easily

confrontation our minds can easily become cluttered and we don’t really

become cluttered and we don’t really

become cluttered and we don’t really think as clearly as we do most of time

think as clearly as we do most of time

think as clearly as we do most of time all of this can be alleviated if we just

all of this can be alleviated if we just

all of this can be alleviated if we just take a moment to take a break from

take a moment to take a break from

take a moment to take a break from reality to collect ourselves and our

reality to collect ourselves and our

reality to collect ourselves and our thoughts so we can truly formulate new

thoughts so we can truly formulate new

thoughts so we can truly formulate new ideas our brains need a constant flow of

ideas our brains need a constant flow of

ideas our brains need a constant flow of oxygen so that we can handle situations

oxygen so that we can handle situations

oxygen so that we can handle situations correctly there’s so much that we can

correctly there’s so much that we can

correctly there’s so much that we can achieve if we simply take a moment to

achieve if we simply take a moment to

achieve if we simply take a moment to step back and breathe resuscitate whoo

step back and breathe resuscitate whoo

step back and breathe resuscitate whoo take a moment to breathe and ask

take a moment to breathe and ask

take a moment to breathe and ask yourself how are they feeling sometimes

yourself how are they feeling sometimes

yourself how are they feeling sometimes we can forget that some people when they

we can forget that some people when they

we can forget that some people when they get really sad or they undergo a big

get really sad or they undergo a big

get really sad or they undergo a big change in their lives they can take it

change in their lives they can take it

change in their lives they can take it out on others through anger and

out on others through anger and

out on others through anger and frustration they might not even know any

frustration they might not even know any

frustration they might not even know any better we all have to understand that a

better we all have to understand that a

better we all have to understand that a lot of the times when other people are

lot of the times when other people are

lot of the times when other people are mean to you it’s because they’re deeply

mean to you it’s because they’re deeply

mean to you it’s because they’re deeply hurt on the inside we all know how it

hurt on the inside we all know how it

hurt on the inside we all know how it feels to be hurt sometimes right it’s

feels to be hurt sometimes right it’s

feels to be hurt sometimes right it’s not nice so if we acknowledge this fact

not nice so if we acknowledge this fact

not nice so if we acknowledge this fact and know that a lot of times people it

and know that a lot of times people it

and know that a lot of times people it doesn’t matter what age or where you’re

doesn’t matter what age or where you’re

doesn’t matter what age or where you’re from that people sometimes are just

from that people sometimes are just

from that people sometimes are just lashing out we can really move on to the

lashing out we can really move on to the

lashing out we can really move on to the next step

next step

next step and that is to simply remember we must

and that is to simply remember we must

and that is to simply remember we must remember who we are what we stand for

remember who we are what we stand for

remember who we are what we stand for and that others much like ourselves are

and that others much like ourselves are

and that others much like ourselves are flawed and can get swept up in their

flawed and can get swept up in their

flawed and can get swept up in their emotions and passions when we forget

emotions and passions when we forget

emotions and passions when we forget that those who react differently from

that those who react differently from

that those who react differently from than we do are just as human as we are

than we do are just as human as we are

than we do are just as human as we are we lose a little piece of ourselves as

we lose a little piece of ourselves as

we lose a little piece of ourselves as we know it instead of losing our calm in

we know it instead of losing our calm in

we know it instead of losing our calm in these situations we must maintain

these situations we must maintain

these situations we must maintain knowledge that though this person may be

knowledge that though this person may be

knowledge that though this person may be lashing out should try to treat them how

lashing out should try to treat them how

lashing out should try to treat them how we would like to be treated ourselves

we would like to be treated ourselves

we would like to be treated ourselves everyone everyone deserves compassion

everyone everyone deserves compassion

everyone everyone deserves compassion and kindness in every situation and we

and kindness in every situation and we

and kindness in every situation and we should remember this always in the end

should remember this always in the end

should remember this always in the end we’re all going through the same

we’re all going through the same

we’re all going through the same emotions and we’re all internally human

emotions and we’re all internally human

emotions and we’re all internally human everywhere and truly we must remember

everywhere and truly we must remember

everywhere and truly we must remember that it is love that we must always

that it is love that we must always

that it is love that we must always prioritize over all others now I’m not

prioritize over all others now I’m not

prioritize over all others now I’m not talking about the boyfriend or

talking about the boyfriend or

talking about the boyfriend or girlfriend type of love or crushes like

girlfriend type of love or crushes like

girlfriend type of love or crushes like that though that is interesting I’m

that though that is interesting I’m

that though that is interesting I’m referring to the love that one has for a

referring to the love that one has for a

referring to the love that one has for a friend or family I’m referring to the

friend or family I’m referring to the

friend or family I’m referring to the one that has for the type of love that

one that has for the type of love that

one that has for the type of love that goes beyond all human boundaries the

goes beyond all human boundaries the

goes beyond all human boundaries the type of love for your fellow human being

type of love for your fellow human being

type of love for your fellow human being the amazing part about life and being

the amazing part about life and being

the amazing part about life and being alive in the sprawling world is that we

alive in the sprawling world is that we

alive in the sprawling world is that we are never alone if we can make sure that

are never alone if we can make sure that

are never alone if we can make sure that everyone remembers that no matter where

everyone remembers that no matter where

everyone remembers that no matter where we are then we would live in a much

we are then we would live in a much

we are then we would live in a much happier and cohesive world if we just

happier and cohesive world if we just

happier and cohesive world if we just remember to sit back sometimes and

remember to sit back sometimes and

remember to sit back sometimes and remember that within every other person

remember that within every other person

remember that within every other person is a little piece of ourselves we would

is a little piece of ourselves we would

is a little piece of ourselves we would live in a far less divided world all

live in a far less divided world all

live in a far less divided world all that we must do is sometimes remember to

that we must do is sometimes remember to

that we must do is sometimes remember to remember

honestly there’s so much that we can

honestly there’s so much that we can accomplish if we simply take a moment to

accomplish if we simply take a moment to

accomplish if we simply take a moment to see ourselves in other people and see

see ourselves in other people and see

see ourselves in other people and see other people within ourselves if you can

other people within ourselves if you can

other people within ourselves if you can try I invite you to try with me to

try I invite you to try with me to

try I invite you to try with me to everyday take a short walk in someone

everyday take a short walk in someone

everyday take a short walk in someone else’s shoes try to look through a

else’s shoes try to look through a

else’s shoes try to look through a different lens and you know what we all

different lens and you know what we all

different lens and you know what we all might just realize that that lens is not

might just realize that that lens is not

might just realize that that lens is not too different from our own thank you

too different from our own thank you

too different from our own thank you [Applause]

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