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In the last few years, we have learned to expect the unexpected. But are we humans prepared to cope with it?

In this edition of TEDxSaintLouisUniversityMadrid, we reflected on how we deal, both as a group and as individuals, with all sorts of unexpected situations.

We explored the human reaction to the unexpected and looked to past unexpected events to see how they have shaped our present lives and society. We also wanted to learn how the unexpected is used as a resource in the fine arts to channel and enhance the public's experience.

What is the impact of artificial intelligence in current and future jobs? Are we coming to the end of data privacy? How are sustainable economy initiatives changing today's world? In what ways are new technologies affecting the way we work, we live, we learn, we socialize?

The Future is NOW is the name of our fourth event, held on April 7, 2022. We showed "futuristic" examples that looked very distant years ago but which we face now in our daily lives. We had five live speakers, one music performance and two videos from TED.com.

The third TEDxSaintLouisUniversityMadrid event featured nine live speakers, a musical performance and two videos from TED.com addressing the theme, "Transcending the Everyday Life State."

The world has changed deeply. Life is increasingly more complex and demanding. We have moved from the industrial to the information age. In our personal, family and professional lives, we face universal challenges that we must learn how to manage, and also how to face uncertainty in a transcendental way.

In this new scenario of "no certainty," the independence of the individual (focusing on oneself and self-interests) does not lead the person to achieve his/her own goals alone. A new scenario of interdependence opens up in which we all depend on each other, one in which we can all contribute in a transcendental way by endeavoring to leave behind a better society for future generations. In this way, we will reach the balance, happiness and personal fulfillment that we all long for in our current lives.

According to Maslow's Theory, the upper part of the human-needs pyramid is occupied by self-actualization. At the end of his life, Maslow placed happiness, fulfillment and contributions to posterity ahead of self-actualization, and called it self-transcendence.

In our multidisciplinary event, we explored the need to "transcend," through real stories that contribute to making a better world for future generations. Presenters included teachers who act as disseminators beyond their academic obligations, executives of companies with a humanist vocation, and professionals who collaborate with non-profit organizations.

*Maslow, A.H. (1943) A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50, 370-396.

Our second TEDxSaintLouisUniversityMadrid event featured eight live speakers, a musical performance and two videos from TED.com. This year's theme was, "Moving Forward."

In an era with the highest technological development and level of information access ever attained in history, we are experiencing great challenges in many areas, such as cyber-criminality, an important issue that everyone, from governments to individuals, is vulnerable to. Another example is post-truth, a new term relating to a situation in which people are more likely to accept an argument based on emotions and beliefs rather than one based on facts. The power of social media in modulating people's public opinions and beliefs strengthens the concept of post-truth. A cooperative economy is another great challenge to many traditional businesses, which must adapt to the new habits of consumers if they want to remain active in the market. All of these new elements contribute to increasing the level of uncertainty and worry among ordinary citizens, provoking reactions from organizations and individuals worldwide.

Is the current situation really so dramatic? Has humanity faced similar situations in the past? Can we do something to move forward and build a more hopeful future for ourselves and our local communities? Does the "passion for doing" exert an active role in bringing hope and enriching our views? In our multi-disciplinary event, science, economics, humanities and the arts came together as we shared reflections, laughter and emotions on how to move toward a future where we are all necessary. 

The theme of our first TEDxSaintLouisUniversityMadrid was "Empowering Ideas for a Higher Purpose." The six live speakers, two videos from TED.com and two musical performances addressed the following ideas:

Entrepreneurship: In the global economy we live in, we think it is paramount to promote entrepreneurship, especially among young people. We strongly believe that talented people should put their skills into practice via entrepreneurship.

Intercultural exchange: As the world grows increasingly more interconnected, we must live alongside people from different cultures, understand their views and increase tolerance toward those who think differently than we do, provided that a minimum framework of coexistence is established. At SLU-Madrid, more than 50 nationalities are represented among our students, faculty and staff. We strive to take advantage of this vast cultural heritage by celebrating TEDx events which allow for the expression and exchange of different perspectives, for the enrichment of all participants.

Encourage creativity: We are moving from being an "information society" to a "knowledge society." The new paradigm is not the information (which is available to everyone) but how we validate that information to form distinctive knowledge. To this end, creativity is paramount. Our TEDxSLUMadrid events are multi-disciplinary by nature to increase creativity among the audience.