TEDx Talks: the videos Hacker News recommends
Not the channel's most viewed videos: the ones HN commenters kept linking with real commentary. The top pick, "The great porn experiment | Gary Wilson | TEDxGlasgow", hN commenters frequently recommend it as an eye-opening case against heavy porn use, though it is contested science.
- 10 HN recommenders 11 months 2012–2023talkHN commenters frequently recommend it as an eye-opening case against heavy porn use, though it is contested science.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2011–2022talkHN commenters point to it as a moving personal story that motivated dietary changes, though it is also cited as anecdotal evidence.
- 3 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2023talkRecommended in vegetarian and animal-welfare threads as an introduction to the psychology behind how we treat animals differently.
- 6 HN recommenders 7 months 2015–2024talkRecommended as a quick way to get the core of 'Start with Why' for pitches and communication, though some note small companies are not Apple.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2015–2024talkHN recommends it as a funny deconstruction of TED talk style, and as a favorite example of the appearance of meaning without content.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2014–2024talkHN uses it as the standard counterpoint to the 10,000-hour rule and as an encouraging recipe for starting new skills.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2016–2023talkHN uses it as a counterintuitive data point in debates on welfare states, social mobility and entrepreneurship.
- 4 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2022talkCommenters recommend it as a clear explanation of carbs, insulin and hunger, and several say it led them to try low-carb eating.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2022talkRecommended in moderation and deplatforming debates as a case for engagement and compassion over exclusion.
- Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it | Larry Lessig | TEDxMidAtlantic4 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2024talkIt is HN's go-to link in threads on lobbying, campaign finance and political dysfunction, as a clear statement of Lessig's root-cause argument.
- 3 HN recommenders 5 months 2016–2026talkHN cites it whenever people question whether more exercise is always better, especially extreme endurance running.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2014–2019talkHN recommends it as an efficient, practical approach to adult language learning, with one commenter saying it changed their life.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2018–2021talkFrequently linked in nuclear-power threads as an eye-opening pro-nuclear argument from a former anti-nuclear activist.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2017–2024talkHN regularly shares it in weight loss threads as a clear, precise explanation of the physics of weight loss.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2017–2022talkHN commenters share it as the talk that introduced them to the Sinclair Method as an alternative approach to alcohol dependence.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2014–2020talkRecommended as a short, clear explanation of growth versus fixed mindset.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2017–2022talkHN recommends it as a comparison of German rehabilitative prisons with American retributive justice, backed by statistics.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2020talkHN commenters credit it with changing their minds on nuclear power and cite it for the downsides of renewables.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2014–2022talkHN recommends it in depression threads as a practical, non-medication approach with concrete takeaways.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2018talkHN commenters recommend it as an introduction to shills, astroturfing and lobbyist influence on media, especially in threads about fake news and online forums.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2025talkHN treats it as a tiny practical life hack some adopt for good, while others mock it as peak TED.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2018talkHN commenters point to it when discussing how to teach children or beginners, as a language-like alternative to formal instruction.
- MEETING THE ENEMY A feminist comes to terms with the Men's Rights movement | Cassie Jaye | TEDxMarin4 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2021talkHN recommends it as a thoughtful account from a feminist on men's issues and the cost of saying unpopular things.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2022talkHN recommends it as a short intro to the Designing Your Life approach when people ask about career direction and finding meaningful work.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2025talkHN recommends it as a thoughtful counterpoint to the pursuit of complicated, consumption-driven lives.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2017talkRecommended in habit and motivation threads for its simple anchor-then-tiny-action recipe.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2025talkHN uses it constantly as the reference for the argument that either the user controls the software or the software controls the user, and it is recommended as a basic introduction.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023talkHN people recommend it for its simple, powerful idea of marginal adjustments and its usefulness for tackling big projects.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2018talkRecommended in back pain and posture threads as a short, practical idea that helped some commenters.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2024talkHN commenters share it as an inspiring reflection on what to optimize in life beyond career, especially in threads on burnout and meaning.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2012–2024talkPointed to in helmet-law debates as a watchable argument that helmet mandates may cost lives by discouraging cycling.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023talkHN points to it as an accessible case that diets work differently for different people, partly due to gut bacteria.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2023talkHN points to it as proof that people can leave extremist movements, and as a model of de-radicalization through compassion.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2026talkBrought up in copyright, public domain and AI-training debates as a provocative argument for abolishing copyright.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2011–2012talkHN people recommend it as a look at how to get people to eagerly do useful collective work, and as the origin of Duolingo.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2021talkHN cites it in depression and brain health threads for its message that the brain can be improved, and that brain injury is common and overlooked.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2022talkHN cites it in climate and diet debates as a contrarian perspective that cattle on managed pasture can be part of the solution.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2022talkHN uses it as the source of the scout mindset vocabulary when discussing honest reasoning and conversation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2026talkHN cites it as the stunt behind 'copyright every melody' in threads about music copyright, takedowns and AI authorship.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026talkHN cites it in threads on military recruiting and obesity as an early warning from a senior general that still applies.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2025talkHN points to it when discussing litter and civic neglect in India, as an example of anonymous citizen-led cleanup.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2026talkMostly cited as damning evidence of Magic Leap's hype and marketing, with commenters calling it delusional or a fraud signal.
- cited 4× 0 months 2018–2024talkReferenced as a concrete example of how weak Google Maps listing verification enables phone fraud and impersonation.
- cited 4× 0 months 2019–2022talkHN cites it in discussions of reconstructing images from brain scans and the ethics of future brain reading.
- cited 3× 0 months 2013–2018talkHN mostly cites it in discussions of procrastination and the 5-second rule, not as a strong recommendation.
- cited 3× 0 months 2022talkMentioned only occasionally as a contrarian argument for hybrids over EVs, with no real endorsement.
- cited 3× 0 months 2014–2026talkHN cites it as the introductory talk from the Open Source Ecology founder in threads on tractors, repair rights and self-sufficiency.
- cited 3× 0 months 2014–2016talkListed as one of several resources for high-carb, low-fat diets in nutrition debates, not heavily endorsed.
Questions
Which TEDx Talks video does Hacker News recommend most?
The great porn experiment | Gary Wilson | TEDxGlasgow: recommended in 11 different months by 10 HN users between 2012 and 2023.
Is this every TEDx Talks video?
No. Only videos that at least three different HN users linked, in at least three different months, with at least a sentence of their own commentary. That filter is what makes the list useful.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.