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Flags are one of the simplest yet most powerful pieces of design ever conceived. They can make us swell with pride, burn with hatred — and even inspire people to die or kill in their name, says vexillologist Michael Green. Take a brief walk through history as Green explores the symbolic fervor behind flags that unify and divide, inviting us to imagine a future where we can come together under one collective identity: humanity.
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Uncle Albert
July 2, 2020 at 5:56 pm
Let’s all bow down to our corporate overlords and watch our native peoples seize to exist.
Siddarth
July 2, 2020 at 6:05 pm
Great video 👌🏼
Kelamaty
July 2, 2020 at 6:08 pm
Screw globalism. I want my country back.
Mike C
July 2, 2020 at 6:14 pm
Many flags are symbols of hate but this depends on some perspective opposed to such national symbols..
eterna invidie
July 2, 2020 at 6:19 pm
a spune că un steag unește este o minciună. că divide, da. unirea separată este doar nebunie. a te juca cu mintea plăpândă a proștilor este o faptă reprobabilă și condamnabilă dar nu de către oameni, căci are cine judeca. steagurile (și imnurile) (și ”națiunile”) nu unesc și nu zidesc. sunt doar unelte cu care aplici „divide et impera”. această lege criminală, diabolică, a lui divide&impera este cea mai importantă unealtă a sistemului în împotriva întregii umanități. la judecata ultimă, acest simplu și singur fapt va fi suficient pentru condamnare. și scăpare pentru ei (cei ce formează sistemul) nu va fi. dar toate trebuie să se întâmple.
Phillip Hengl
July 2, 2020 at 6:35 pm
Never saw the world flag before
Goy Goddess 2
July 2, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Hmmmm, is Michael Green jewish?
Sune Ricardo Holt
July 2, 2020 at 6:43 pm
Well .. your welcome to burn my danish flag 🙂 it’s just a flag.. but atleast you spend money on something that Denmark makes a profit on or you create free advertisements for denmark 🇩🇰 ❤️
I’mLikeT_T
July 2, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Imagine if schools taught this the way he did, then we wouldn’t be having this identity crisis
MacTwiggles
July 2, 2020 at 7:12 pm
Internet people unite! everyone change their profile picture to earth flag and start a trend
Matthew Bunn
July 2, 2020 at 7:26 pm
I’d rather not. And it would give me far greater joy to see the American flag standing on Mars than any globalist commie flag
Mr.Sojek
July 2, 2020 at 9:20 pm
@Matthew Bunn Try to reach Moon for the first time.
Stugots
July 2, 2020 at 7:24 pm
“How America is bad and should be more like other countries”
samanjj
July 2, 2020 at 8:44 pm
Stugots he said the opposite but ok
Phlegethon
July 2, 2020 at 7:25 pm
I need a Sheldon Cooper fun with flags series with Jim Parsons
Phlegethon
July 2, 2020 at 7:30 pm
“You ready for the next flag” yea of course I knew that was coming
Matthew Jay
July 2, 2020 at 7:47 pm
3:39 That’s my alma mater, and we have a Confederate statue of Brigadier General, (C.S.A.), Lawrence Sullivan Ross on campus. I hope my school wises up and does something about that before people choose that choice for the university.
Adalberto Estevez
July 2, 2020 at 8:18 pm
National flags are just gang symbols, nothing more. They serve no practical purpose in our lives.
0 0
July 2, 2020 at 8:21 pm
Lets respect flags and homeless.
Tori
July 2, 2020 at 8:56 pm
I feel like the american flag is a bad example since the pledge of allegiance brainwashes citizens into idolizing it
Bradley Fitzik
July 2, 2020 at 9:23 pm
I think they should change the laws of “disrespecting the flag” so that we can wear it in part or whole on uniforms or putting it flat or horizontal in the grass in an arena pregame
Vítor Alves
July 3, 2020 at 7:09 am
They’re not laws, they’re a guideline, as per the SCOTUS
Bradley Fitzik
July 2, 2020 at 9:30 pm
I think if we started an “Earth United” flag that symbolized the fact that we all live on the same planet and all humans are the same speices that people all over would start using it and it might create movement to help unify! So let’s do it!!
Sailor Nickolas
July 2, 2020 at 9:32 pm
We are all united but governments wants to split us, keep separated.
Brylan Caldwell
July 2, 2020 at 10:28 pm
Thos is all BS
Fernando Lopes
July 2, 2020 at 11:15 pm
🇧🇷
Don Nikou
July 2, 2020 at 11:22 pm
I noticed this entire talk was more directed towards theAmerican and Earth flags, I wonder if you have investigated the Macedonian flag and how it was forcibly changed by the Greek government, and the rest of the world stood by or even condoned it. If there is to be an international flag of unity it may also be prudent to allow nationalities to also select their own flags instead of being oppressed or coerced into changing their flag/symbol/identity?
Octo
July 4, 2020 at 8:56 am
I had to read up on this situation to even know what you were talking about, as an American. I think they didn’t use this situation as an example or discuss it is because it is complicated to understand and would deserve it’s own 15 minute video for most Americans to even begin to have an idea of what was going on. If you notice, he said a lot of things like “As we all know” and “You know what this means” etc. I think that’s because he’s talking about a very big idea in a very short amount of time so it’s best to use the most universally understandable examples so you spend the least amount of time explaining them. However, he did address the concept of people choosing their own flags- in the US at state and local levels, we often vote on flags directly in a referendum, or indirectly by voting for the people who make the decision for us.
I really think the entire Greek and Macedonian flag situation could make a cool and informative video about a topic a lot of westerners have never even heard of. (Particularly younger westerners. I’m 25!)
Yaaah
July 3, 2020 at 12:10 am
Yes
Ghostbusta J
July 3, 2020 at 12:45 am
NWOOne World Government GARBAGE. Unsubbing from this TED crap.
Yuuup
July 3, 2020 at 2:04 am
Does your average American realize that most of the world has a viceral, negative reaction to seeing the American flag?
Jhon Jerome Satairapan
July 3, 2020 at 2:16 am
Just wondered how the flag from Taured looks like.
greennumberthree
July 3, 2020 at 3:43 am
Wow, Americans really love their country and are equally as good as Germany was in the time of Hitler in advertising their country. Tell me another’s country national anthem you know the melody or first sentence of without even thinking. Good on them, I guess. Love your history, love your people and culture and love your land. It’s just as simple as loving your parents/caregivers or idols (because some people have terrible parents/caregivers). I don’t know about the whole globalism thing though. Two people of two neighboring towns already have a different type of pride for their town. It’s just how we are. Globalism will never be true globalism as we would want to.
InSanctvs
July 3, 2020 at 4:24 am
I consider the flag a symbol and I leave symbols to the symbol-minded – George Carlin
– Also, 6:47 Mien Kampf 😛 MIEN 🙂
Cool Ted-talk anyhow! A piece of cloth really shouldn’t be valued over a human life, let’s hope in the future that flag of the world will become increasingly popular! (Note here the inherent paradox of what I just wrote… That flag is also an.. uhm.. symbol… Go figure!)
Robert Klouse
July 3, 2020 at 6:36 am
More of the same “dump-truck” of – filled WASTED
…..Tax-Payers MONEY!!!
Ted-
Robert Klouse
July 3, 2020 at 6:44 am
That is ridiculous.
saying just because MARYland and VIRGINia are the first
States which sit next to ea other that it might be a secret plan by the Virgin Mary.hahaha
Lisa Love Ministries
July 3, 2020 at 6:59 am
Seek truth of this world and it’s influences.
John 14:6
1 John 5:19
Mill Eudic
July 3, 2020 at 8:09 am
I created my own flag design, don’t think I am in trouble, because of this, here:
Mill Eudic
July 3, 2020 at 8:25 am
RUS -> It is Multicultural Othodox Christian Double Headed White Eagle of Conservatism in Australasia.
Mill Eudic
July 3, 2020 at 8:28 am
bud@ -> Well not a party, yet, but yeap.
Tiny Ford
July 3, 2020 at 9:10 am
When he showed the gay flag I realised the irony in it that the Rainbow is said to be a promise of God, while gay people are said to hate God in the very same book.
Pablo Hernández
July 3, 2020 at 9:52 am
Really a great talk
Malcolm Jones
July 3, 2020 at 10:36 am
Remove the Chinese flag from the face of the earth.
OGHUVWU BLESSING
July 3, 2020 at 12:19 pm
Psalm 31 Vs 24: Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
stagespectre
July 3, 2020 at 12:25 pm
I thought this was graphic designer Micheal (Shea) Green and of course TAMU only has interest in art as a tool.
TheGoodGuyWithoutGuns
July 3, 2020 at 1:07 pm
TED: *uploads a fascinating talk on the power of symbols and inviting people to come together under a collective sense of humanity*
YT Comments: trolls, puns, dat earth flag sucks, and i’d rather not you effin’ commie!
veryoldcookie
July 3, 2020 at 4:58 pm
“Burn with hatred” while showing an Israeli flag.. Tactful.
Maxi Schmidt
July 3, 2020 at 6:36 pm
6:48 spelling mistake: It is “Mein Kampf” not “Mien Kampf”
Leydi C H N
July 3, 2020 at 9:37 pm
What a touching conclusion…
Kyra
July 4, 2020 at 2:37 am
Very good, really enjoyed this Michael. A very approachable and compelling presentation for sure. I appreciate you making this as accessible as possible to all of humanity.
MostlyLoveOfMusic
July 4, 2020 at 2:50 pm
the USA flag is seen as a negative weapon by a LOT of people – both in the US and definitely outside it – this talk got rather too patriotic without criticising adoration of flags
ResonatorsThe
July 4, 2020 at 2:52 pm
nobody should ever revere a flag, have more self-respect
Ross Gemmell
July 4, 2020 at 7:29 pm
Love the earth 🌎 flag! ✌🇬🇧 🇺🇲✌
Romanski
July 5, 2020 at 3:07 pm
I will never understand why burning a flag is seen as morally wrong. Caring for the well being of people is just so infinitely more important to me than preserving the integrity of any state.
LostMekkaSoft
July 5, 2020 at 6:15 pm
For me, the US flag is more a symbol for nationalism and grandiose delusions. It stands for fighting for “human rights” in places far away but never considering them at home. The fact that it is supposed to stand for unity clashes hard with the reality of racism and the embedding of Christianity as the one state-endorsed religion… (I am sorry for the harsh words, I do not want to insult anyone. But I really need to point out this dissonance)
PETER ZARI
July 6, 2020 at 12:27 am
The flag was floor gang