What I Learned About Solving Problems Looking for a Fight in Abilene, Texas | Justin Mann | TEDxUTD
What can a story about a few rowdy teens in an old muscle car out looking for a fight teach us about how we solve problems in our personal and professional lives, the toxic state of social media, much less the historic divisions seen in today's political climates? Turns out quite a bit.
This talk explains just how completely our identities can hijack our reasoning as we work through stressful problems, even to the point that a few well meaning, good 'ol country boys can end up spoiling for a fight that should never happen, and draws a connection from this simple idea to one of the most pivotal events in recent history. Justin Mann is the product of two worlds: his multi-decade career in corporate America and his upbringing and lifelong connections throughout rural, working-class America. He grew up in a small town outside Abilene navigating a rough and tumble culture with a few rowdy friends, roofing houses during the summer, and teaching himself programming at night. He is now the Head of Research & Standards for the Technology Business Management Council, a published author, contributor to multiple technology industry standards bodies, and has presented at conferences on multiple continents. He is a lifelong reader and book collector with an expansive home library, an avid traveler, and enjoys horseback riding on the weekends. More recently he has begun dedicating his free time to distilling ideas across economics, science, technology, and politics into engaging, accessible formats that resonate with both urban professional and rural, working-class audiences. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
