"I want you to reimagine how life is organized on earth," says global strategist Parag Khanna. As our expanding cities grow ever more connected through transportation, energy and communications networks, we evolve from geography to what he calls "connectography." This emerging global network civilization holds the promise of reducing pollution and inequality — and even overcoming geopolitical rivalries. In this talk, Khanna asks us to embrace a new maxim for the future: "Connectivity is destiny." TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tednews Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector

Comments

1. Great talk. I would counter only that the notion of "connectivity" as discussed here reflects evolving scales and conceptualizations of geography, rather than a completely-new framework. Location still matters.
2. Why do world cities function at the top of the world’s urban hierarchy and drive globalization?
3. he his inspiring so many people to improve our future
4. more of updated version of reality of world map of humans. what about my dog ??
5. Connectivity is just one part of what we need. Water, food, clean air, economy etc. We connect to places because of their substance, if Sahara had great connectivity who would live there ? We are part of nature and we live in places which are able to provide our needs
6. Is it only me who thinks the megacity is NOT a good thing?
7. "mans #1 priority in the 21st century, sustainable urbanization". Thats blatantly not the priority. Otherwise, very interesting and informative.
8. Less people on our planet, and a 100% transparent system where everybody has the same say/vote. That is my humble wish :) Tnx for making people think :)
9. Technocracy....'Rising'...Technocrats scare me! just as Huxley 'Brave New World' or zbigniew Brzezinski "Between Two Ages". QUOTE: "“A really efficient totalitarian state would be one in which the all-powerful executive of political bosses and their army of managers control a population of slaves who do not have to be coerced, because they love their servitude.”
   ― Aldous Huxley, Brave New World *Was this just a dystopian, scientific/technocratic dictatorship fiction? OR was it a 'warning' or prediction of the future...the now?
10. Canadians applauding a North American Union? LOL
    The US population is 9x larger than that of Canada; its economy is nearly 12x larger. Guess who'll be calling the shots....
    (Ask people in the EU how they feel about Germany, even though Germany's share of the EU is big only in relative terms, not absolute terms.)
11. investing in networks and pipelines does not deter war necessarily
    
    firstly , country A may invade B should the latter chocked off the network or pipeline - think Iraq
    
    secondly , domestic populist politics may force elected officials to turn inwards - think Trump and Briexit
12. china do his best to maintain world peace.
13. Cool maps though.
14. Brexit proved he is wrong.
15. Trump proved he is wrong.
16. Once again, a TED talk has someone spouting well known facts as if they were profound insights. Is he claiming geopolitical boundaries aren't important? Good luck. Blowhard.
17. MOST people in Taiwan DO NOT want to reunite with China. (About 85%)
    The meeting between Ma and Xi is not Taiwanese expecting.
    Taiwan is an independent country and we have NO tendency to reach a reunification.
18. A stunning presentation
19. Quintessential TED gobbledygook.
20. Totally put off by his OTT melodramatic style of speaking. NEXT!