15 totally weird (in a good way) talks from Ignite Philly 12 [audio]
Ignite Philly co-organizer Geoff DiMasi addressing the crowd at Johnny Brenda's. (Photo courtesy of Kevin Monko)
Get up on stage and say something interesting. That’s Ignite Philly, in a nutshell.
Last night was the 12th local gathering of the semi-regular series of lightning talks. Speakers get five minutes and 20 PowerPoint slides to make it count. It’s like TED, but boozier (and therefore better. Duh.).
It was my first Ignite Philly and, I have to admit, I was impressed. Below are each of the 15 raw, rapid-fire, thought-provoking, wonderful ideas that took the stage at Fishtown staple Johnny Brenda’s. Listen here or download and podcast later.
As for Editor’s Picks, I’m a fan of Austin Seraphin‘s audio-rich exploration of being blind in Philly; Chris Wink‘s lifehacks for advanced city living (adapted from this post); and Heather Schmerman‘s tales of speaking without speaking.
But really, you can’t go wrong.
Be warned: There’s plenty of salty language.
1. What it’s like being blind
2. How to love Philly
3. Celebrating civic innovation
4. What the heck is parametric modeling?
5. A better education system — through robotics
6. Advice from Pop Pop: No = new opportunities
7. Your car is a gas-guzzling couch — and it doesn’t have to be
8. Philly lifehacks
9. How to raise amazing kids
10. The secret life of sign language
11. Having kids in the city
12. We need to talk about death and dying
13. Why taxidermy matters
14. Tech to make cities talk
15. Why Camden isn’t as bad as you think
WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.
Finding a tech-life balance: Could you survive with a flip phone?
As tech continues to take over our lives, a lot of folks are craving a simpler, less connected vibe—kind of like the good old days of flip phones and way less digital noise.
Air Date: February 6, 2025 12:00 pm
Listen 46:46
Investigating the cult-like tactics of modern marketers
Marketing companies can be pretty sneaky when trying to get new customers. Instead of straightforward sales pitches, they've turned to manipulative tactics used by cults.
Air Date: January 17, 2025 12:00 pm
Listen 50:14
Screenagers: the digital lives of young people
Some teens admit to being addicted to their screens...but for this generation, phones and tablets are critical to daily life. The authors of a new book, Behind Their Screens.
Air Date: November 1, 2022 10:00 am
Listen 49:15