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I feel like great TED Talks are ones that are a little bit subject to interpretation, that do provoke further conversation - and potentially controversy.

Because TED is for, and by, unbelievably rich people, they tiptoe around questions of the justness of a society that rewards TED attendees so much for what usually amounts to a series of lucky breaks.

I'd love to do something a little different than 'Ted.'

Ted needs someone to be there 100% of the time. He thinks that's love. It's not love - it's babysitting.

It's weird: you do a TED talk on something, and people think that you suddenly have a lot of answers around the topic.

What I love about the TED is that it's not, 'Hey, take this check and enjoy.' It's, 'Do something with this, and we'll help you.' I think that's the most beautiful prize I've ever heard of.

For most of the millions of people who watch TED videos at the office, it's a middlebrow diversion and a source of factoids to use on your friends. Except TED thinks it's changing the world, like if 'This American Life' suddenly mistook itself for Doctors Without Borders.

I look at myself more as a storyteller than a screenwriter, as pretentious as that may sound, but that's what really attracts me to TED Talks. For me, the really effective ones are being presented by expert storytellers.

I haven't done the profoundly impactful work many TED speakers have.