TED Radio Hour: How You See Yourself – Detailed Summary

Release Date: April 4, 2025
Host: Manoush Zomorodi
Episode Title: How You See Yourself

1. Redefining Portrait Photography with David Tsaw

Timestamp: 00:16 – 03:03

The episode opens with David Tsaw, a professional portrait photographer, who challenges traditional, rigid posing in photography. He emphasizes the importance of making clients feel natural and confident in front of the camera, moving away from the "awkward and unnatural poses" that often plague photo sessions.

David Tsaw (00:38): “Are you tired of being stuck doing the same poses over and over and instead found a way to help people feel more confident, more themselves?”

David shares his journey from using cookie-cutter poses during his college years to developing a more personalized approach after being inspired by his mentor, Sue Brice. This transformation allowed him to connect more deeply with clients, leading to millions of followers on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where he offers practical photography tips.

2. The Psychology of Being a Good Person with Dolly Chugh

Timestamp: 15:14 – 28:29

Next, Dolly Chugh, a professor at NYU Business School and psychologist, delves into the concept of central moral identity—the intrinsic need to see oneself as a good person. She explains how inadvertent actions, like accidentally bumping into someone, can threaten this self-image, leading to self-doubt and defensive behaviors.

Dolly Chugh (16:32): “Why many of us have what psychologists call a central moral identity. We care about whether we're seen as a good person and whether we feel like good people.”

Chugh introduces the theory of bounded ethicality, which posits that ethical behavior fluctuates based on various factors, challenging the binary notion of being entirely good or bad. She argues that striving for a fixed identity as a "good person" can hinder personal growth and learning from mistakes. Instead, embracing a "goodish" person mindset fosters a growth-oriented approach to morality.

Dolly Chugh (24:31): “Being a goodish person is someone who has a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset.”

Chugh shares personal anecdotes illustrating how adopting a growth mindset allows individuals to navigate ethical dilemmas more effectively, promoting continuous self-improvement without the paralyzing fear of failing to meet an unrealistic standard of goodness.

3. South Korea’s Beauty Standards and the Influence of K-Beauty with Elise Hu

Timestamp: 28:29 – 43:28

Elise Hu, a journalist and author of Flawless Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K Beauty Capital, explores the intense beauty standards prevalent in South Korea and their global impact. She discusses the societal pressures that drive South Korea's dominance in the cosmetic industry, where appearances are closely tied to professional and personal success.

Elise Hu (31:07): “Having a slimmer jawline is so desirable that a Seoul plastic surgery clinic once displayed the human bones of jaws it had shaved down in a glass vase in its lobby.”

Hu highlights how cosmetic procedures in South Korea are often family-driven, with young women undergoing surgeries like double eyelid operations to conform to societal expectations. She contrasts this with the increasing global influence of K-Beauty through social media, which perpetuates narrow beauty ideals and contributes to widespread body dissatisfaction.

Elise Hu (39:59): “Digital culture is now reshaping our actual faces and bodies. We learn it so young.”

Hu warns against the rise of AI-generated beauty filters, which further distort real-world beauty standards by promoting inhuman and uniform appearances. She emphasizes the need to celebrate diverse bodies and resist the homogenizing effects of digital beauty trends to foster a more inclusive and authentic self-image.

4. Neuroscience of Self-Image and Altered Selves with Anil Anantaswamy

Timestamp: 43:28 – 52:31

The episode concludes with Anil Anantaswamy, a science writer, who examines the neurological underpinnings of self-image and the fragility of our sense of self. He discusses conditions like xenomelia (the feeling that a body part doesn’t belong) and phantom limb syndrome, illustrating how our perception of self and body ownership is a complex neurological construction.

Anil Anantaswamy (44:18): “These experiences of altered selves are telling us that just about everything we take to be real about ourselves... that's just not the case.”

Anantaswamy explores how disorders like schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease disrupt the narrative self—the personal stories we tell about who we are—and the bodily self—our sense of ownership and agency over our bodies. He argues that understanding the constructed nature of self-identity can foster greater empathy towards those experiencing altered selves and highlight the resilience and vulnerability inherent in our self-perception.

Anil Anantaswamy (52:31): “There is something remarkably robust about the processes that give rise to the totality of our sense of self. But there's something frighteningly fragile about them too.”

Conclusion

The TED Radio Hour episode "How You See Yourself" intricately weaves together perspectives from photography, psychology, journalism, and neuroscience to explore the multifaceted nature of self-image. From redefining personal confidence in photography to challenging moral identities and societal beauty standards, the episode underscores the dynamic and often fragile constructs that shape how we perceive ourselves and are perceived by others. By embracing growth, diversity, and the complexity of self-identity, listeners are encouraged to foster a more authentic and resilient self-image.

Notable Quotes:

• David Tsaw (00:38): “Are you tired of being stuck doing the same poses over and over and instead found a way to help people feel more confident, more themselves?”

• Dolly Chugh (16:32): “Why many of us have what psychologists call a central moral identity. We care about whether we're seen as a good person and whether we feel like good people.”

• Dolly Chugh (24:31): “Being a goodish person is someone who has a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset.”

• Elise Hu (31:07): “Having a slimmer jawline is so desirable that a Seoul plastic surgery clinic once displayed the human bones of jaws it had shaved down in a glass vase in its lobby.”

• Elise Hu (39:59): “Digital culture is now reshaping our actual faces and bodies. We learn it so young.”

• Anil Anantaswamy (44:18): “These experiences of altered selves are telling us that just about everything we take to be real about ourselves... that's just not the case.”

• Anil Anantaswamy (52:31): “There is something remarkably robust about the processes that give rise to the totality of our sense of self. But there's something frighteningly fragile about them too.”

Further Information:

• David Tsaw: Professional photographer with millions of social media followers. Offers practical photography advice and emphasizes authentic self-representation.

• Dolly Chugh: NYU Business School Professor and psychologist, author of A More Just Future, explores moral identity and ethical behavior.

• Elise Hu: Journalist and author of Flawless Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K Beauty Capital, examines South Korea's beauty industry and its global influence.

• Anil Anantaswamy: Science writer and author of The Man Who Wasn't, discusses the neuroscience of self-identity and altered selves.

For full talks and additional resources, visit TED.com and follow the TED Radio Hour on NPR.