As human beings, we get used to “the way things are” really fast. But for designers, the way things are is an opportunity … Could things be better? How? In this funny, breezy talk, the man behind the iPod and the Nest thermostat shares some of his tips for noticing — and driving — change.

With ever-increasing demands on our attention, how do we focus on what’s really important in our lives?

Matthew Crawford, acclaimed author of The Case for Working with Your Hands, argues that our current crisis of attention, dissatisfaction with ourselves and alienation from other people, is the result of long-held assumptions in Western culture that are profoundly at odds with human nature.

In order to flourish, we need to establish meaningful connections with the world, the people around us and the historical moment we live in.

How a mutual disregard for traditional advertising kickstarted Wieden + Kennedy and Nike’s success.

“We were pretty stupid when we began,” says Dan Wieden, co-founder of one of the largest independent ad agencies in the world, Weiden + Kennedy. “Our client [Nike] didn’t know what to do with us either. So between Nike and Wieden + Kennedy we kind of just ignored the rules of advertising such as we’d heard them.”

Did you know that you’re 30 times more likely to laugh if you’re with somebody else than if you’re alone? Cognitive neuroscientist Sophie Scott shares this and other surprising facts about laughter in this fast-paced, action-packed and, yes, hilarious dash through the science of the topic.

This is a couple of years old but everyone has missed it completely. Sasha Dichter of the Acumen Fund shares the results of his month-long “Generosity Experiment” where he said “yes” to every request for help. via swiss miss