Empathy Is Not Endorsement | Dylan Marron | TED

Digital creator Dylan Marron has racked up millions of views for projects like “Every Single Word“ and “Sitting in Bathrooms With Trans People“ — but he’s found that the flip side of success online is internet hate. Over time, he’s developed an unexpected coping mechanism: calling the people who leave him insensitive comments and asking a simple question: “Why did you write that?“ In a thoughtful talk about how we interact online, Marron explains how sometimes the most subversive thing you can do is actually speak with people you disagree with, not simply at them. Dylan hosts the TED Audio Collective podcast Conversations with People Who Hate Me —a podcast that explores what happens when online feuders step out from behind the keyboard and get to know the human on the other side of the screen. Listen to Conversations with People Who Hate Me wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to the TED Audio Collective: “We’re living in divided times. Conversation may be the simplest way I know to bridge the divide — whatever the divide may be,” says writer and podcaster Dylan Marron, who has had scores of one-on-one conversations with combative critics. Discover how to create the conditions for successful conversations online and offline, humanizing your “haters” and understanding them in different and sometimes surprising ways. Enroll in his TED Course “How to connect in a divided world” today: Follow TED! Twitter: Instagram: Facebook: LinkedIn: TikTok: @tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at