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https://www.ted.com/talks/dylan_marron_empathy_is_not_endorsement

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TEDCourses: How to Connect in a Divided World

Online, we’re often told to "ignore the trolls." But what if you refused to consider them trolls in the first place? Dylan Marron has had scores of one-on-one conversations with combative critics, and he’s learned a thing or two about how to connect with others across seemingly insurmountable divides. In this four-week course starting September 26 (additional start dates available), you’ll discover how to create the conditions for successful conversations online and offline, humanizing your "haters" and understanding them in different and sometimes surprising ways.

For full details and to register for this course: https://courses.ted.com/product/how-to-connect-in-a-divided-world

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Join us as we hear from digital creator Dylan Marron, who has racked up millions of views for various projects, but he's found that the flip side of success online is internet hate. Over time, he's developed an unexpected coping mechanism: calling the people who leave him insensitive comments and asking a simple question: "Why did you write that?" In a thoughtful talk about how we interact with others, Marron will explain how sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is actually speak with people you disagree with, not simply at them.

Dylan Marron moved from Venezuela to the United States when he was five years old. Since he was young he’s loved watching movies, but growing up as a “brown kid in America” he didn't see himself and his experiences represented in film. At age 27, he created the critically acclaimed Every Single Word, a video series that edits down popular films to feature just the words spoken by people of color (spoiler alert: often, there aren't many). More recently, Dylan has been the host and creator of the podcast Conversations with People Who Hate Me, a social experiment connecting strangers who have exchanged negative or hateful messages on the internet. His book, also titled Conversations with People Who Hate Me, is published by Atria, a division of Simon & Schuster.

We invite you to bring a spirit of curiosity to these gatherings and to all aspects of your life. What are you noticing? Where is Spirit moving? How are you being invited to participate?