LISTENING DIARY

Week 1

TED. Urban architecture inspired by mountains, clouds and volcanoes.

The speaker is an architect and he comes from Beijing, China. He talks about his city and how it was full of
nature when he was a kid. Then they started to build a lot of buildings, looking all the same.

One day, he was walking down the street in his city and there were people selling fishes. The fishes were in
cubic tanks, and he asked himself why they were cubic. He made a research putting a camera in the tank, in
order to understand how the fishes would behave, and he found out that the cubic tank wasn’t appropriate
for them he decided to design a new fish tank for them.

After that he starts showing some of his architecture projects, which are highly influenced by nature.

He uses a lot of hand sketch, because he likes the randomness of it. According to him, architecture, humans
and nature can coexist together. In the last part of the video, he shows all the projects he has realized,
which are in harmony with nature.

Week 2

TED. What does poverty look like on a plate?

Huiyi Lin and her partner worked on "The Poverty Line" for 14 years, exploring poverty through food. Using
the daily income at the poverty line, they bought food and photographed it on local newspapers, showing
what poverty looks like on a plate. The project, expanded to 38 countries, highlights how limited choices
shape lives. Though the photos don’t solve poverty, they spark conversations about its connection to global
issues like climate change and migration. For Huiyi, it’s a way to bridge the gap and remind us of our shared
humanity.

Week 3

TED. The mind-reading potential of AI

I watched a fascinating video where Chin Tenglin presented his groundbreaking project in a world premiere.
The project explores how artificial intelligence can transcribe our thoughts directly onto a computer without
the need for typing. It’s a revolutionary concept that connects the brain directly to the computer,
showcasing the potential for AI to bridge the gap between human thoughts and technology.

Week 4

I listened to some music, particularly “Scar tissue” by Red hot chili peppers. I like this song a lot, it’s so
catchy but at the same time it has a deep meaning as it talks about the difficult story of the frontman, who
was struggling with drug addiction and he was trying to reconquer his life.

Week 5

TED podcast- How AI can bridge the deaf and hearing worlds
Adam Munder is a deaf person who lives in Arizona and he tells us how difficult being deaf is. The
interpreters are expensive. He shares a personal experience in which his wife and him, both deafs, brang
their daughter to a doctor appointment but there was no interpreter and the doctor asked them to let their
daughter be the interpreter. This is only an example of how tough can be life for a deaf person. Adam
created a platform called OmniBridge, where his team and him use the AI to analise thousand of signs of
the American sign language and translate in English.

Week 6

Harry Potter

I started watching the Harry Potter saga for the first time. I had never watched it as a child, but when I saw it
was added to Netflix, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t think I would like it, but in the end, it’s been very
engrossing.

Week 7

During my gym workout I used a Youtube video to train my abs. I didn't want to do the usual exercises and
wanted to try something new, so I relied on this girl who creates workout content. In quarantine I only
worked out with her.

Week 8

I watched the film ‘The Notebook’ for the third time, I had never watched it in English. It's always good to
watch this film!

Week 9

I watched a documentary on the ocean world and it was very interesting, I really like documentaries even
though I hardly ever watch them.

Week 10

TED. Divorce

In the 1990s divorce numbers were at their peak in Europe and America, now they are falling while in other
countries they are rising. Marrying young and differences in family backgrounds are the two main causes of
divorce. In 2021, the Chinese government to cooling off period for those who want to separate, a period of
time to try to sort things out.

Week 11

TED. Luxury, not landfill. The waste

The woman says that in nature there is no waste, human have invented it. She says that in many ways waste
has driven human progress: disposable diapers, disposable plastic syringes. Fashion is built on waste and
she created Coachtopia, a new coach sub- brand, designed not to improve our linear fashion system, but to
pioneer a circular one, in which products are made from waste. They also had to reimagine the value of
waste, and in order to do so they had to change the way they designed. They used to design forward but in
a circular world they have to design backwords starting from existing products and try to understand how
the object could be transformed. They take what is left behind by coach and they reuse it.

Week 12

I’ve been listening to Harry Styles’ “Daylight” on loop all week; it’s one of my favourite songs by him. The
song focuses on a lover who pushed Harry away despite all his affection for her. In an interview, Harry stated
that “Daylight” was written in a “stream of consciousness” style after he had been dwelling on a
relationship all night.

Week 13

TED- The art of marketing

Raja Rajamannar is the chief marketing officer for Mastercard. According to him marketing exists in
company because it is a manifestation of everything that the company stands for, its values, which all get
embodied in the brand. Secondary to advance the business. And third, with all this intense competition that
is so widely prevailing, how do you establish platforms that will differentiate your brand?

According to him marketing is not only doing something good for the company but also for the society.

Quantum marketing (the title of his book)  when marketing rules were formed, the theories and the
principle, are they so timeless that they remain constant or they change? He realized that the principles
have to be changed in the context of marketing. QUANTUM MARKETING is about challenging every single
aspect of marketing, from its foundations, and re imagine for the current context. Go more to the
fundational principles of marketing.

Purpose can motivate the choices in marketing.

Week 14

This week I’ve watched “The wolf of wall street” which is a film based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, a
stockbroker who rose to wealth in the 1980s through fraudulent schemes and excessive risk-taking on Wall
Street. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie showcases Belfort's lavish
lifestyle, fueled by greed, drugs, and corruption, as well as his eventual downfall when caught by the
authorities. It highlights themes of ambition, moral decay, and the dark side of unchecked capitalism.

Week 15

BCC RADIO- Climate change updates

I listened to a segment about recent global climate reports. It was alarming to hear about the increasing
effects of climate change and it reminded me how crucial it is to make small, sustainable changes in daily
life.
Week 16

TED- Your body language shapes who you are

This talk explained how non-verbal cues influence others and even how we feel about ourselves. I learned
practical tips on using body language to boost confidence, which I want to apply during presentations and
interviews.

Week 17

Podcast “How I built this”- Episode: Patagonia

This episode featured Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, discussing the company’s sustainable
practices and business philosophy. I found it inspiring how a business can focus on environmental impact
while remaining profitable. It made me reflect on the importance of aligning values with actions in
professional life.

Week 18

Podcast “The daily”- Episode on AI in education

This episode explored how artificial intelligence is being integrated into schools and universities. I was
fascinated by the potential benefits but also concerned about the ethical implications. It made me think
about how technology is shaping the future of learning.

Week 19

TED- The danger of single story

I watched this talk for a university assignment on cultural perspectives. It was eye-opening to see how
stereotypes are formed and the importance of hearing multiple perspectives. It motivated me to explore
more diverse stories in literature and media.

Week 20

Movie soundtrack: interstellar

I listened to the soundtrack while studying. The music was deeply emotional and created a sense of
vastness, perfectly mirroring the themes of space and time in the movie. It helped me focus while evoking a
sense of wonder.

Week 21

Podcast “The mindful kind”- Episode on managing stress

I listened to this episode while taking a walk in the park. The host discussed various mindfulness techniques
for reducing stress. It was calming to hear practical tips on how to stay present and manage anxiety. The
episode reminded me of the importance of mental well-being and the small steps I can take every day to
reduce stress.