Quiet is one of the most popular podcast out of all the podcasts that the TED Radio Hour has available. So I thought too myself, “What better way to start out this blog than with one of the most popular podcasts the TED Radio Hour has to offer.”
The title of this podcast is somewhat strange in my opinion; It doesn’t fit the dialogue and the majority of the stories throughout the podcast. The majority of the stories involved overcoming fears by using different methods to accomplish defeating the freight, such as public speaking. Other interviews involved our observation of the world, specifically the clouds. Letting our minds run free and have our quiet meditation to give ourselves a form of head space to recover and prepare for times that stress and conflict may obstruct our mindset.
The one story that I can think of that directly relates to the title is a story is of a man by the name of John Francis. He tells his story of making a vow of silence and how he continues to honor that vow for 17 years.
John Francis is an interesting character. He is a very thrifty person, and he has an environment-friendly attitude. You can tell he is good at goal setting, and that he knows how to achieve the goals that he is reaching for.
John’s 17-year vow reminds me of when I was little and would get mad at my friends for whatever reason and give them the “silent treatment.” However, I’m confident that Francis could easily beat me in not only providing the silent treatment but also the quiet game.
As I listened, I could only really think of one question throughout the duration of the podcast. This one, in particular, was, “How does being silent for 17 years change a person mentally?” I eventually had my question answered, and I was quite intrigued. Francis stated that from his vow of silence that he became a much more put together and much more observant person. In other words, he could mainly hear much better and process the information that he was being given much more efficiently, than before his vow.
I started thinking about this idea much more profoundly and found it astonishing. Think about it yourself. People who are mute, blind, or have any disability usually have some other boost in another sense. So, it would make sense for Francis to have a heightened sense of hearing if he didn’t speak for such a long time.
This podcast overall was very interesting, and I enjoyed it. If you got a chance to listen to it yourself, please let me know your own opinions on the podcast in the comments below. If you also have any questions about the podcast, please let me know as well. I hope you enjoyed my first blog post!
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