Elif Shafak, an award-winning Turkish novelist, dives into the vital themes of democracy, diversity, and identity. She passionately argues against tribalism, urging for a deeper understanding of global solidarity. The conversation touches on her new novel, exploring intergenerational trauma and the power of storytelling in fostering empathy. Elif also discusses how sensory experiences shape creativity and the intricate relationship between emotions and political narratives, highlighting the need for compassion in a polarized world.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Tasting Words
Elif Shafak shares an anecdote about a teenage girl asking if she tastes words while writing.
This question prompts Shafak to reflect on synesthesia and the complex relationship between language and sensory experience.
insights INSIGHT
Mixed Emotions Towards Homelands
Shafak connects synesthesia to the mixed emotions many feel towards their homelands.
She uses the taste of her motherland, Turkey, as an example, describing it as both sweet and bitter.
insights INSIGHT
The Importance of Emotions in Politics
Shafak criticizes mainstream political theory for neglecting the role of emotions.
She argues that understanding and addressing emotional factors is crucial in today's political landscape.
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The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak is a novel that weaves together the stories of multiple generations affected by the turbulent history of Cyprus. The narrative is partly told through the voice of a fig tree, which observes the lives of a young Greek Cypriot and a Turkish Cypriot couple, Kostas and Defne, who are separated by war. The story also follows Ada, a teenager in London, as she seeks to understand her family's history and ancestry. The novel explores themes of war, division, love, loss, and the search for identity and healing, highlighting the resilience of both human and natural life in the face of trauma and conflict.
"From populist demagogues, we will learn the indispensability of democracy," says novelist Elif Shafak. "From isolationists, we will learn the need for global solidarity. And from tribalists, we will learn the beauty of cosmopolitanism." A native of Turkey, she has experienced firsthand the devastation that a loss of diversity can bring -- and she knows the revolutionary power of plurality in response to authoritarianism. In this passionate, personal talk, she reminds us that there are no binaries, in politics, emotions and our identities. After the talk, stick around to hear a conversation between Elise and Elif about her new novel, "The Island of Missing Trees," an intergenerational story about forbidden love. Elise and Elif discuss how fiction creates empathy and how to avoid "falling into the trap of tribalism," even when the world might push us that way. This episode is part of the TED Talks Daily summer book club, a series featuring talks and interviews to inspire your next great read.
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