TEDNYC
Lux Narayan: What I learned from 2,000 obituaries
Lux Narayan: Što sam naučio iz 2.000 osmrtnica
Filmed:
Readability: 4.4
1,705,669 views
Lux Narayan započinje svoj dan s kajganom i pitanjem: "Tko je umro danas?" Zašto? Analizom 2.000 osmrtnica u New York Times-u u razdoblju od 20 mjeseci, Narayan je sakupio, u samo nekoliko riječi, kako postignuće izgleda tijekom života. Ovdje on dijeli ono što nas oni ovjekovječeni u tisku mogu naučiti o životu dobro proživjelom.
Lux Narayan - Entrepreneur
Lux Narayan is a perpetual learner of various things -- from origami and molecular gastronomy to stand-up and improv comedy. Full bio
Lux Narayan is a perpetual learner of various things -- from origami and molecular gastronomy to stand-up and improv comedy. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
Joseph Keller used to jog
around the Stanford campus,
around the Stanford campus,
0
879
4072
Joseph Keller je običavao trčati
po Stanford sveučilištu,
po Stanford sveučilištu,
00:16
and he was struck by all the women
jogging there as well.
jogging there as well.
1
4975
4717
i bio je zaprepašten svim ženama
koje su isto trčale tamo.
koje su isto trčale tamo.
00:21
Why did their ponytails swing
from side to side like that?
from side to side like that?
2
9716
3589
Zašto im se repovi ljuljaju od strane
na stranu ovako?
na stranu ovako?
00:25
Being a mathematician,
he set out to understand why.
he set out to understand why.
3
13867
3138
Budući da je matematičar,
krenuo je razumjeti zašto.
krenuo je razumjeti zašto.
00:29
(Laughter)
4
17029
1151
(Smijeh)
00:30
Professor Keller was curious
about many things:
about many things:
5
18204
2306
Profesor Keller je bio znatiželjan
o mnogo stvari:
o mnogo stvari:
00:32
why teapots dribble
6
20534
1967
zašto čajnici kapaju
00:34
or how earthworms wriggle.
7
22525
1830
ili kako se crvi migolje.
00:36
Until a few months ago,
I hadn't heard of Joseph Keller.
I hadn't heard of Joseph Keller.
8
24847
3048
Do prije nekoliko mjeseci,
nisam čuo za Josepha Kellera.
nisam čuo za Josepha Kellera.
00:40
I read about him in the New York Times,
9
28581
2852
Čitao sam o njemu u New York Timesu,
00:43
in the obituaries.
10
31457
1432
u osmrtnicama.
00:44
The Times had half a page
of editorial dedicated to him,
of editorial dedicated to him,
11
32913
3772
The Times je imao pola stranice
uvodnika posvećenog njemu,
uvodnika posvećenog njemu,
00:48
which you can imagine is premium space
for a newspaper of their stature.
for a newspaper of their stature.
12
36709
3922
što možete zamisliti je premijski prostor
za novine njihovog stasa.
za novine njihovog stasa.
00:53
I read the obituaries almost every day.
13
41368
2342
Čitam osmrtnice gotovo svaki dan.
00:56
My wife understandably thinks
I'm rather morbid
I'm rather morbid
14
44690
3022
Moja supruga razumljivo misli
kako sam prilično morbidan
kako sam prilično morbidan
00:59
to begin my day with scrambled eggs
and a "Let's see who died today."
and a "Let's see who died today."
15
47736
4400
što počinjem dan sa kajganom
i "Da vidimo tko je umro danas."
i "Da vidimo tko je umro danas."
01:04
(Laughter)
16
52160
1150
(Smijeh)
01:06
But if you think about it,
17
54025
1292
Ali ako razmislite o tome,
01:07
the front page of the newspaper
is usually bad news,
is usually bad news,
18
55341
3413
naslovnice novina obično nose
loše vijesti,
loše vijesti,
01:10
and cues man's failures.
19
58778
1975
i niže čovjekove neuspjehe.
01:12
An instance where bad news
cues accomplishment
cues accomplishment
20
60777
2666
Instanca gdje loše vijesti
nižu postignuća
nižu postignuća
01:15
is at the end of the paper,
in the obituaries.
in the obituaries.
21
63467
3235
je na kraju novina,
u osmrtnicama.
u osmrtnicama.
01:19
In my day job,
22
67405
1364
U svom normalnom poslu,
01:20
I run a company that focuses
on future insights
on future insights
23
68793
2476
vodim tvrtku koja se fokusira
na buduće uvide
na buduće uvide
01:23
that marketers can derive
from past data --
from past data --
24
71293
2420
koje marketingaši mogu izvući
iz prošlih podataka --
iz prošlih podataka --
01:25
a kind of rearview-mirror analysis.
25
73737
2944
nešto poput "retrovizor" analize.
01:29
And we began to think:
26
77092
1155
I počeli smo razmišljati:
01:30
What if we held a rearview mirror
to obituaries from the New York Times?
to obituaries from the New York Times?
27
78271
5118
Što kada bismo držali retrovizor
osmrtnicama iz New York Times-a?
osmrtnicama iz New York Times-a?
01:36
Were there lessons on how you could get
your obituary featured --
your obituary featured --
28
84514
3468
Je li bilo lekcije o tome kako bi mogli
imati vašu osmrtnicu u novinama --
imati vašu osmrtnicu u novinama --
01:40
even if you aren't around to enjoy it?
29
88006
1977
čak i ako niste prisutni
da uživate u njoj?
da uživate u njoj?
01:42
(Laughter)
30
90007
1484
(Smijeh)
01:43
Would this go better with scrambled eggs?
31
91515
2628
Bi li to bolje išlo sa kajganom?
01:46
(Laughter)
32
94167
1150
(Smijeh)
01:48
And so, we looked at the data.
33
96163
2998
I tako smo gledali u podatke.
01:51
2,000 editorial, non-paid obituaries
34
99869
4494
2.000 neplaćenih osmrtnica u uvodniku
01:56
over a 20-month period
between 2015 and 2016.
between 2015 and 2016.
35
104387
3642
kroz period od 20 mjeseci
između 2015. i 2016. godine.
između 2015. i 2016. godine.
02:00
What did these 2,000 deaths --
rather, lives -- teach us?
rather, lives -- teach us?
36
108053
4824
Što nas je tih 2.000 smrtnih slučajeva --
odnosno, života - naučilo?
odnosno, života - naučilo?
02:04
Well, first we looked at words.
37
112901
2033
Pa, prvo smo gledali u riječi.
02:06
This here is an obituary headline.
38
114958
1761
Ovo ovdje je naslov osmrtnice.
02:08
This one is of the amazing Lee Kuan Yew.
39
116743
2296
Ova je od nevjerojatnog Lee Kuan Yew-a.
02:11
If you remove the beginning and the end,
40
119063
2522
Ako uklonite početak i kraj,
02:13
you're left with a beautifully
worded descriptor
worded descriptor
41
121609
3334
ostanete s lijepom oblikovanim opisom
02:16
that tries to, in just a few words,
capture an achievement or a lifetime.
capture an achievement or a lifetime.
42
124967
4675
koji pokušava, u samo nekoliko riječi,
uhvatiti postignuća ili cijeli život.
uhvatiti postignuća ili cijeli život.
02:21
Just looking at these is fascinating.
43
129666
2161
Samo posmatranje toga je fascinantno.
02:24
Here are a few famous ones,
people who died in the last two years.
people who died in the last two years.
44
132301
3295
Evo nekoliko poznatih, ljudi koji su umrli
u posljednje dvije godine.
u posljednje dvije godine.
02:27
Try and guess who they are.
45
135620
1319
Pokušajte i pogodite tko su oni.
02:28
[An Artist who Defied Genre]
46
136963
1440
[Umjetnik koji je Prkosio Žanru]
02:30
That's Prince.
47
138427
1185
To je Prince.
02:32
[Titan of Boxing and the 20th Century]
48
140497
1837
[Titan boksa i 20. stoljeća]
02:34
Oh, yes.
49
142358
1160
Oh, da.
02:35
[Muhammad Ali]
50
143542
1224
[Muhammad Ali]
02:36
[Groundbreaking Architect]
51
144790
1546
[Revolucionarna Arhitektica]
02:38
Zaha Hadid.
52
146360
1251
Zaha Hadid.
02:40
So we took these descriptors
53
148843
1748
Uzeli smo te opise
02:42
and did what's called
natural language processing,
natural language processing,
54
150615
2524
i učinili ono što se zove
obrada prirodnog jezika,
obrada prirodnog jezika,
02:45
where you feed these into a program,
55
153163
1771
gdje ubacite ove u program,
02:46
it throws out the superfluous words --
56
154958
1865
on izbaci suvišne riječi --
02:48
"the," "and," -- the kind of words
you can mime easily in "Charades," --
you can mime easily in "Charades," --
57
156847
4223
"je," "i," -- one riječi koje možete
lako oponašati u "igri pantomime," --
lako oponašati u "igri pantomime," --
02:53
and leaves you with the most
significant words.
significant words.
58
161094
2193
i ostavlja vas s najznačajnijim riječima.
02:55
And we did it not just for these four,
59
163311
1821
I to smo učinili ne samo za ova četiri,
02:57
but for all 2,000 descriptors.
60
165156
2519
već za svih 2.000 opisa.
02:59
And this is what it looks like.
61
167699
1743
I ovako to izgleda.
03:03
Film, theatre, music, dance
and of course, art, are huge.
and of course, art, are huge.
62
171004
4827
Film, kazalište, glazba, ples
i naravno, umjetnost, su ogromne.
i naravno, umjetnost, su ogromne.
03:08
Over 40 percent.
63
176485
1946
Preko 40 posto.
03:10
You have to wonder
why in so many societies
why in so many societies
64
178455
2528
Morate se zapitati zašto u svim
tim društvima
tim društvima
03:13
we insist that our kids pursue
engineering or medicine or business or law
engineering or medicine or business or law
65
181007
4435
inzistiramo da naša djeca nastave sa
inženjerstvom ili medicinom ili pravom
inženjerstvom ili medicinom ili pravom
03:17
to be construed as successful.
66
185466
1587
kako bi ih oslovili kao uspješne.
03:19
And while we're talking profession,
67
187871
1693
I dok govorimo o profesiji,
03:21
let's look at age --
68
189588
1151
pogledajmo dob --
03:22
the average age at which
they achieved things.
they achieved things.
69
190763
2510
prosječna dob u kojoj
su postigli stvari.
su postigli stvari.
03:25
That number is 37.
70
193297
1846
Ta brojka je 37.
03:28
What that means is,
you've got to wait 37 years ...
you've got to wait 37 years ...
71
196274
3656
Što to znači je da morate
čekati 37 godina ...
čekati 37 godina ...
03:31
before your first significant achievement
that you're remembered for --
that you're remembered for --
72
199954
3395
prije prvog značajnog postignuća
po kojem ćete biti zapamćeni --
po kojem ćete biti zapamćeni --
03:35
on average --
73
203373
1151
u prosjeku --
03:36
44 years later, when you
die at the age of 81 --
die at the age of 81 --
74
204548
2478
44 godine kasnije, kada umrete
u dobi od 81 godine --
u dobi od 81 godine --
03:39
on average.
75
207050
1168
u prosjeku.
03:40
(Laughter)
76
208242
1001
(Smijeh)
03:41
Talk about having to be patient.
77
209267
1684
To je strpljivost.
03:42
(Laughter)
78
210975
1057
(Smijeh)
03:44
Of course, it varies by profession.
79
212056
2089
Naravno, varira od profesije do profesije.
03:46
If you're a sports star,
80
214566
1193
Ako ste sportaš,
03:47
you'll probably hit
your stride in your 20s.
your stride in your 20s.
81
215783
2127
vjerojatno ćete ostvariti postignuća
u svojim 20-ima.
u svojim 20-ima.
03:49
And if you're in your 40s like me,
82
217934
2645
A ako ste u svojim 40-ima poput mene,
03:52
you can join the fun world of politics.
83
220603
1991
možete se pridružiti zabavnom
svijetu politike.
svijetu politike.
03:54
(Laughter)
84
222618
1056
(Smijeh)
03:55
Politicians do their first and sometimes
only commendable act in their mid-40s.
only commendable act in their mid-40s.
85
223698
3915
Političari postignu svoje prvo, a nekad
i jedino pohvalno djelo u srednjim 40-ima.
i jedino pohvalno djelo u srednjim 40-ima.
03:59
(Laughter)
86
227637
1257
(Smijeh)
04:00
If you're wondering what "others" are,
87
228918
1937
Ako se pitate kakvi su "drugi,"
04:02
here are some examples.
88
230879
1476
evo nekoliko primjera.
04:04
Isn't it fascinating, the things people do
89
232821
2116
Nije li fascinantno, stvari koje ljudi
rade
rade
04:06
and the things they're remembered for?
90
234961
1882
i stvari po kojima ostaju zapamćeni?
04:08
(Laughter)
91
236867
1752
(Smijeh)
04:12
Our curiosity was in overdrive,
92
240136
1844
Naša znatiželja je prešla granicu
04:14
and we desired to analyze
more than just a descriptor.
more than just a descriptor.
93
242004
3788
i željeli smo analizirati
više od samog opisa.
više od samog opisa.
04:18
So, we ingested the entire
first paragraph of all 2,000 obituaries,
first paragraph of all 2,000 obituaries,
94
246998
4946
Dakle, stavili smo cijeli prvi stavak
svih 2.000 osmrtnica,
svih 2.000 osmrtnica,
04:23
but we did this separately
for two groups of people:
for two groups of people:
95
251968
2774
ali to smo napravili odvojeno za dvije
skupine ljudi:
skupine ljudi:
04:26
people that are famous
and people that are not famous.
and people that are not famous.
96
254766
2777
ljude koji su slavni i
ljude koji nisu slavni.
ljude koji nisu slavni.
04:29
Famous people -- Prince,
Ali, Zaha Hadid --
Ali, Zaha Hadid --
97
257567
2689
Slavni ljudi -- Prince,
Ali, Zaha Hadid --
Ali, Zaha Hadid --
04:32
people who are not famous
are people like Jocelyn Cooper,
are people like Jocelyn Cooper,
98
260280
4235
ljudi koji nisu slavni su ljudi poput
Jocelyn Cooper,
Jocelyn Cooper,
04:36
Reverend Curry
99
264539
1154
velečasnog Currya
04:37
or Lorna Kelly.
100
265717
1169
ili Lorne Kelly.
04:38
I'm willing to bet you haven't heard
of most of their names.
of most of their names.
101
266910
3188
Spreman sam se kladiti kako niste čuli
većinu njihovih imena.
većinu njihovih imena.
04:42
Amazing people, fantastic achievements,
but they're not famous.
but they're not famous.
102
270122
3812
Nevjerojatni ljudi, fantastični uspjesi,
ali nisu poznati.
ali nisu poznati.
04:46
So what if we analyze
these two groups separately --
these two groups separately --
103
274720
2788
Pa što ako analiziramo
ove dvije skupine zasebno --
ove dvije skupine zasebno --
04:49
the famous and the non-famous?
104
277532
1525
slavne i ne-slavne?
04:51
What might that tell us?
105
279081
1419
Što bi nam to moglo reći?
04:52
Take a look.
106
280524
1240
Pogledajte.
04:56
Two things leap out at me.
107
284556
1469
Dvije stvari su iskočile.
04:58
First:
108
286569
1170
Prva:
05:00
"John."
109
288106
1198
"John."
05:01
(Laughter)
110
289328
1300
(Smijeh)
05:03
Anyone here named John
should thank your parents --
should thank your parents --
111
291914
3388
Svatko ovdje sa imenom John bi trebao
zahvaliti svojim roditeljima --
zahvaliti svojim roditeljima --
05:07
(Laughter)
112
295326
1329
(Smijeh)
05:08
and remind your kids to cut out
your obituary when you're gone.
your obituary when you're gone.
113
296679
3082
i podsjetiti svoju djecu da izrežu
vašu osmrtnica kada odete.
vašu osmrtnica kada odete.
05:13
And second:
114
301061
1356
I druga:
05:15
"help."
115
303849
1154
"pomoć."
05:18
We uncovered, many lessons
from lives well-led,
from lives well-led,
116
306524
3465
Otkrili smo, mnoge lekcije
od života dobro proživiljenog,
od života dobro proživiljenog,
05:22
and what those people immortalized
in print could teach us.
in print could teach us.
117
310013
2836
i ono što su ti ljudi ovjekovječili
u tisku bi nas moglo poučiti.
u tisku bi nas moglo poučiti.
05:24
The exercise was a fascinating testament
to the kaleidoscope that is life,
to the kaleidoscope that is life,
118
312873
4738
Vježba je bila fascinantan testament
kaleidoskopu života,
kaleidoskopu života,
05:29
and even more fascinating
119
317635
2715
a još fascinantnija
05:32
was the fact that the overwhelming
majority of obituaries
majority of obituaries
120
320374
3068
je bila činjenica da je nadmoćna
većina osmrtnicama
većina osmrtnicama
05:35
featured people famous and non-famous,
121
323466
2998
sadržavala slavne i ne-slavne ljude
05:38
who did seemingly extraordinary things.
122
326488
2433
koji su, naizgled, uradili
izvanredne stvari.
izvanredne stvari.
05:41
They made a positive dent
in the fabric of life.
in the fabric of life.
123
329574
3110
Oni su napravili pozitivan trag
u tkivu života.
u tkivu života.
05:44
They helped.
124
332708
1237
Oni su pomogli.
05:46
So ask yourselves as you go
back to your daily lives:
back to your daily lives:
125
334772
2591
Dakle, zapitajte kada se vraćate
svom svakodnevnom životu:
svom svakodnevnom životu:
05:49
How am I using my talents to help society?
126
337387
2920
Kako koristim svoje talente kako bi
pomogao društvu?
pomogao društvu?
05:52
Because the most powerful lesson here is,
127
340331
2973
Jer najsnažnija pouka ovdje je,
05:55
if more people lived their lives
trying to be famous in death,
trying to be famous in death,
128
343328
4336
kada bi više ljudi živilo svoje živote
pokušavajući biti slavni u smrti,
pokušavajući biti slavni u smrti,
05:59
the world would be a much better place.
129
347688
2605
svijet bi bio puno bolje mjesto.
06:03
Thank you.
130
351062
1169
Hvala vam.
06:04
(Applause)
131
352255
2848
(Pljesak)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Lux Narayan - EntrepreneurLux Narayan is a perpetual learner of various things -- from origami and molecular gastronomy to stand-up and improv comedy.
Why you should listen
Lakshmanan aka Lux Narayan mans the helm of Unmetric, a social media intelligence company that helps digital marketers, social media analysts, and content creators harness social signals to track and analyze competitive content and campaigns, and to create better content and campaigns of their own.
Prior to founding Unmetric, Narayan was a co-founder at Vembu Technologies, an online data backup company. He also helped found and volunteered at ShareMyCake, a non-profit started by his wife that focuses on encouraging children to use their birthdays to channel monetary support towards a cause of their choosing.
As Unmetric's CEO, he leads a team of 70 people distributed across the company's operations in Chennai and New York City.
Outside of work, he is a perpetual learner of various things -- from origami and molecular gastronomy to stand-up and improv comedy. He enjoys reading obituaries and other non-fiction and watching documentaries with bad ratings. Narayan makes time every year for trekking in the Himalayas or scuba diving in tropical waters, and once he learns to fly, he hopes to spend more time off land than on it.
Lux Narayan | Speaker | TED.com