Contemporary Society: Critical Analysis of Social Issues Using TED

This assignment delves into various pressing social issues through the analysis of selected TED Talks. It addresses gender inequality, highlighting the cultural and societal barriers women face in accessing education, referencing Shameem Akhtar's TEDWomen talk and sociological perspectives on gender versus sex. The assignment also explores the potential benefits and concerns surrounding self-driving cars, focusing on safety and accident reduction. Further, it examines the critical issue of ocean pollution and its impact on marine life, drawing insights from Dr. McGrath's TED Talk. Lastly, the assignment discusses the experience of schizophrenia diagnosis and treatment, using Eleanor Longden's TED Talk to emphasize the importance of knowledge, hope, and positive belief in overcoming mental health challenges. The solutions provided here offer valuable insights into these topics, aligning with sociological theories and real-world examples presented in the TED Talks. Desklib provides a platform for students to access such assignments and past papers.

Running Head:
Topic Name
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author Note:

1
Question1
The difference between male and female is too a broader aspect can be identified as a
notion of biology. In practice, there is not as such distinctiveness among men and women
without having a physical diversity. However, even in the 21st century a number of cultures and
societies have possessed the taboo of isolating their women from the light of education1. As a
result of that it is necessary to understand the role of culture and society in empower women of
their respective societies.
Gender equality is a burning issue nowadays. Sociologist and social activities have raised
their voice for safeguarding the rights of the women in the society. Before going into the
discussion about cultural prejudices against women upliftment, it is imperative to get a glimpse
of the difference between sex and gender. According to West & Zimmerman, before the 1975
people had confusion about gender and sex2. From the sociological point of view, there is a sharp
distinction between the two. Sex is defined as the biological connotation associated with
anatomy, hormones and physiology whereas gender is ascribed as a psychological, cultural and
social means. In this regard, the Western societies have accepted the cultural perspective of
gender by treating men and women as naturally and unequivocally defined categories. However,
the role theory has a robust impact on the construction of gender categories. Beyond the
conventionalised gesture there is a clear understanding of the distinctiveness in gender but not
based on the stereotypes of the definition of sex.
1 Butler, J 1990, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Routledge, London and New York.
2 West, C & Zimmerman, DH 1987, ‘Doing gender’, Gender and Society, 1(2), 125–51.

2
Culture and society plays a pivotal part in constructing different perception about sex and
gender. In the speech of Shameem Akhtar at TEDWomen 2017, she portrayed a clear depiction
of the isolation and lack of privileges that the women in her region are suffering for a long time3.
She belonged to a Baloch conservative tribe in Sindh, Pakistan where women and girls do not
have the right to educate. In fact, the people think that girls are born to do household tasks and
never allowed to explore the outside world. This sheer perception among some tribes is still
existed in the 21st century. Her inner faith and courage made Shameem a flag bearer of educating
girls across the country. However, the politics of keeping women in dark about the rest of the
world was prevalent long back. In the book written by Millet the practice of male chauvinism in
society is quite clear. Sexually compliant females should be beaten and those women who violate
the laws of marital fidelity should be punished punitively4. In fact, Kimmel, Hearn & Connell
argues that the chivalry and masculinity are the significant facets that prohibit women to get
equal to their male counterparts5.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the education is the key factor that can help the
underprivileged women to get the light of the outside world and helps them to become leaders to
guide the society towards its future progress.
3TED conference. 2017. To Learn Is To Be Free. Video.
https://www.ted.com/talks/shameem_akhtar_to_learn_is_to_be_free.
4 Millet, K 1969, Sexual Politics, Doubleday and Co.
5 Kimmel, MA, Hearn, J & Connell, RW 2004, Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities, SAGE, Thousand

3
Question2
The self-driving cars will be very useful in fastening the seatbelts and will reduce the
chances of accidents on roads. Every year there are a huge number of people who die on roads
because of the lack of their concentration and their restlessness. They are not able to fasten their
seatbelts on time and they feel that this might be wastage of time a well. In the cars that have the
drivers running them may often suffer from this uncertainty that what will be their action if the
passer by or any other vehicles suddenly come on the road. In such cases the drivers may not get
proper time and balance to manage everything at the same time. Often the normal cars put the
brakes constantly at places that are actually not needed. This can really be very irritating for the
ones who are driving the cars. Particularly when driving in the rows, one will find the toads to be
very congested and it will really be very troublesome for them if their cars do not run properly on
the roads. These will also be very troublesome for those people who might feel that they are
getting in their chances of accidents due to these cars. However, many people might put forward
this argument that if there are driverless cars then there is no surety that it will be successful in
avoiding all the accidents. This is because in such cases nothing will be under the control of the
drivers driving the cars. Each and everything will be machine oriented. At the same time, this
may not be able to put an end to all the accidents but it will surely out an end to half of the
accidents that cannot be stopped by the human driven normal cars6.
This indeed is very useful be because this practice has been able to reduce about 17000
deaths that take place on the roads every year. The first driverless car that was given for
6 Beck, Adam S. "Driverless Cars: A Revolution For Persons With Disabilities." (2016).

4
experiment purpose in 2009 was also immensely successful and was heavily demanded among
people7.Thus, the seatbelts wearing will be one of the most important things that will be done
with ease by the driverless cars. Even if the drivers are in a hurry and are forgetful in wearing
their seatbelts the driverless cars will automatically out the seatbelts on them and will also be
very helpful in driving the cars on roads8. They have auto sensors that will be helpful in sensing
any kinds of dangers that might come in front of them on roads like the cars or any pedestrians.
Hence the chances of accidents will be stopped.
Question 3
Dr. McGrath, the TED Talk has discussed about the pollution level in the oceans and
their effects on the surrounding ecology. She states that the changes in the environment of the
ocean has increased ten times that it had been for 55 million years. The pollution due to the
human actions have been increasing the process of acidification in the marine water affecting the
survival of the aquatic animals. These are leading to the mass extinction of many marine species.
The ocean chemistry has been changed due to the 25% of all the carbon dioxide emitted to the
atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans. To her, the technology of reducing environmental
pollution especially the carbon emission will not be only way through which the expected level
can be reached. With the technological help, there is a need in the changes of the human nature
and habits. McGrath has been researching to find the method of reducing carbon emission in the
atmosphere and its effect on the marine life. Her team monitors the levels of pollutants like
carbon dioxide in the Irish marine waters in order to determine the carbon level in ocean and
7 Richtel, Matt, and Conor Dougherty. "Google’s driverless cars run into problem: Cars with
drivers." New York Times 1 (2015).
8 Hillström, Oscar, and Mattias Johannesson. "Integration of a belt in a seat: Safety in
autonomous cars." (2017).

5
succeeding upsurge in the ocean acidity. This is crucial for the understanding of future health of
oceans. Through this investigation the researchers can provide information for determining the
impact of the ocean acidification on the marine ecosystems9.
Therefore, it can be understood from this particular TED Talk that what danger McGrath
has found out can never be mitigated or prevented if the technology and human effort is not
amalgamated together. This is because it is not acceptable that the human life as well as the lives
of aquatic animals will be greatly affected by the pollution as this will increase the types and
effects of disease which will cause mass killing or migration. The natural balance will be
affected in one hand, the lives of earth will be abolished in case the pollution level increases in
such a way. Therefore, there is an urge from the part of this researcher that the human habits
need it be changed so that the pollution level is reduced in the oceans as well as land.
Question 4
Eleanor Longden in the TED Talk has discussed about her experience in the process of
diagnosis of schizophrenia and related course of hospitalisation. To her, in this process of
treatment, she was accepted as the patient of insanity and treated quite harshly by the associated
doctors10. Eleanor in the TED Talk has pointed out because she had been constantly in the
environment where she could her some voices around her. These were seen to be some
symptoms that intensified her fear as well as her situation deteriorated gradually. However, she
attempted to battle with these hostile voices but she became a broken and haunted person frm
inside who was taken advantages of every awful way11. She was constantly jeered by the people
9 Myers-Scotton, C 2006, Multiple voices: an introduction to bilingualism, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.
10 Hochschild, A 2004, Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves, Houghton
Mifflin, Boston, MA.
11

6
which made her believer of a childhood trauma. In this TED Talk Eleanor has spoken about her a
strategy to survive the situation where she was granted as a mad woman. These strategies were
completely indigenous as well as creative which empowered her to prevent herself to be
collapsed and submit to her disease.
Most fortunately, her treatment process became easy as she soon became surrounded by
people with the unshakable belief that she would soon recover12. This however, empowered her
to face all the challenges. This illness was not as abstract symptoms of illness that she had to
endure but it was complex, significant as well as meaningful experience that was to be explored.
This is the reason why there are only two things important in life one is the knowledge and
another is hope and positive belief which saves the man’s life from the deadly effect of
depression and insanity.
This TED Talk has provided an empowering feeling and one can find something
meaningful in it instead of feeling distressed in these experiences. Therefore, one can take these
insights as well as knowledge from the life of the victim Eleanor. The internal struggle of a
schizophrenic patient and the punitive measure she received had helped her to concentrate more
on the proves of gaining knowledge. She became more self-confident in her ability to not only be
there for herself but trust herself again. This story of life is an inspiration for the people who may
only choose the path of medication to survive this dangerous disease and lose the chance to save
themselves.
Wise, SM 2004, Though the Heavens May Fall: The Landmark Trial that Led to the End of Human Slavery, Da
Capo Press, New York.
12 Gladwell, M 2011, Outliers, Back Bay Books, New York.

7

8
References
Beck, Adam S. "Driverless Cars: A Revolution For Persons With Disabilities." (2016).
Butler, J 1990, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Routledge, London
and New York.
Gladwell, M 2011, Outliers, Back Bay Books, New York.
Hillström, Oscar, and Mattias Johannesson. "Integration of a belt in a seat: Safety in autonomous
cars." (2017).
Hochschild, A 2004, Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s
Slaves, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA.
Kimmel, MA, Hearn, J & Connell, RW 2004, Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities,
SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Millet, K 1969, Sexual Politics, Doubleday and Co.
Richtel, Matt, and Conor Dougherty. "Google’s driverless cars run into problem: Cars with
drivers." New York Times 1 (2015).
West, C & Zimmerman, DH 1987, ‘Doing gender’, Gender and Society, 1(2), 125–51.
Wise, SM 2004, Though the Heavens May Fall: The Landmark Trial that Led to the End of
Human Slavery, Da Capo Press, New York.