Can a “villain” make the world a better place? With a bold, critical perspective in her talk “Kẻ phản diện” (The Villain), Mai Ngoc Ha offers a compelling interpretation of the “villain” through the lens of scientific theories on human behavior and cognition, uncovering where our judgments and labels originate.
Rather than viewing the “villain” as a symbol of evil, she explores the concept as a psychological metaphor for those who dare to face uncomfortable truths, hold firm to their principles, and do what they believe is right—even when doing so isolates them and turns them into the “villain” in the eyes of others. Mai Ngoc Ha is the winner of the TEDx Thang Long University 2025 Student Speaker Contest “The Exceptionals: Out Loud”. A K36 Multimedia Communication student at Thang Long University, she is the runner-up of the ThangLong Debate Tournament 2024 and the creator behind multi-platform channels on YouTube, TikTok, and Spotify, engaging an audience of over 40,000 followers. Beyond public speaking, her creative work was selected as one of the Top 20 pieces showcased at the exhibition “Freedom with the Colors of Emotion.” Ha’s interests lie at the intersection of youth voices, visual storytelling, and media literacy—using debate-honed reasoning and creative production to spark conversations about how young people perceive, express, and navigate emotions in the digital age. 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
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- 6:51Is a Jack of All Trades better than a Master of One? | Rithwik Krishna | TEDxGIIS Dubai"Is a Jack of All Trades better than a Master of One?" by Rithwik Krishna explores the balance between being a generalist and a specialist, inspired by the full quote “A jack of all trades is a master of none, though oftentimes better than a master of one.” Drawing on Isaiah Berlin’s “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” it celebrates versatility, adaptability, and interdisciplinary growth. Rithwik Krishna is an 11th grader who advocates that you don’t have to fit into just one box to excel. A seasoned MUN debater, Trinity-level pianist, lead in a school musical, and Secretary of his school’s Cultural Council, he channels his passion for the arts toward a greater calling to heal as a future doctor. In his talk, “Is a Jack of All Trades Better than a Master of One?”, he opens up about the struggles and surprising strengths of being a “generalist”. Through his own story, he’ll reveal why exploring different passions can be your biggest advantage, and why it’s not too late to diversify your skills. 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
- 11:37Lessons for a new generation in a new world | Sanchay Gupta | TEDxGIIS DubaiMy exploration of the modern 'Pandemic of Validation Craving' serves to reflect our generation's relentless obsession with trends, brands and social media approval and how it has trapped us in a cycle of comparison and 'Doomshopping.' It critiques how society prioritizes looks and links respect to possessions, showing how even phones can shape our social interactions. Finally, it highlights practical spending and self-awareness strategies like identifying the trigger for your Impulse spending and FOMO and switching back to cash to make most purchases, and suggests embracing individuality to build true self-worth. I am an inquisitive 15-year-old coming from GEN-Z, interested in everything about science, satellites and the human mind. My speech focuses on my observations about people and ongoing trends, specifically on the rise of over-obsession/craze, show-off culture and how it affects the different stakeholders in society. Moreover, I will also discuss about how setbacks are a strategic advantage towards living a more meaningful life. 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
