Aansh Manish, a Grade 12 student from GEMS Our Own English High School, Sharjah–Boys, uses his TEDx Talk to unpack the silent burden teenagers carry in a hyper-digital world. With interests ranging from cricket to AI, Aansh speaks from experience as he challenges the curated perfection on social media and the pressure to ‘have it all figured out.’ He calls for authenticity over aesthetics and progress over polish. His talk offers a powerful reminder that it’s okay not to know all the answers and that being real is far more valuable than being perfect. Aansh inspires his peers to embrace their unique paths, flaws and all.Aansh Manish
Grade: 12
School: GEMS Our Own English High School, Sharjah–Boys
Talk Title:
Aansh Manish is a thoughtful and expressive 12th grader with a love for cricket, coding, and creative pursuits from painting to exploring artificial intelligence. He believes education is not confined to classrooms; it's a process of constant experimentation, failure, and growth.
In his TEDx Talk, Aansh unpacks the overwhelming pressure teens face in a hyper-curated world. From flawless social media posts to making life-altering career decisions by Grade 12, he explores how digital perfectionism distorts self-worth. Through candid reflections, he makes a compelling case for embracing uncertainty, letting go of the pressure to have it all figured out, and choosing authenticity over appearance. His talk is a reminder that in a filtered world, being real is our greatest strength. 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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