A discussion on challenging our mental limits, navigating cultural expectations, and embarking on a journey of self-discovery
Jeevan Dhindsa, Staff Writer
Photo source: Jeevan Dhindsa
Lights, camera, and a moment of reflection
On November 16, 2025, TEDxUOFT hosted its very first conference of the year at William Doo Auditorium: Dimensions. The conference centered around emancipation, revealing how deeply ingrained perceptions influence our reality, and why challenging these ideas, particularly mental and societal norms, is essential for true liberation.
The event unfolded with an immersive jazz performance by the Hart House a cappella group, who set the stage by performing “A Foggy Day, Feeling Groovy,” and “You Are So Beautiful,” showcasing the beauty in unity, which naturally distinguishes a cappella groups from other performers. From there, the audience was introduced to the first guest speaker to step onto the famous red circle carpet: Dr. Mark Miller, whose insights aimed to break down and redefine our mental limits.
Dr. Mark Miller is a cognitive scientist and philosopher at the University of Toronto (U of T) and Monash University. Naturally, Dr. Miller’s talk focused on the value of uncertainty, bridging neuroscience and philosophy to explain that uncertainty is a daily dosage for the brain’s growth. According to Dr. Miller, as humans, we want to feel safe, know what’s next, and be certain. However, to feel certain in such an unpredictable world, we only have two options: change the world or change our model. The latter being the easiest, unless you’re Gru, who has the capacity to whip out a shrink ray and reshape the world in seconds. Your model refers to your cognitive brain, which acts as “not a passive but a proactive organ,” according to Dr. Miller, that helps us achieve certainty by adapting to the environment over time, to reduce errors. But, despite the benefits of certainty, Dr. Miller highlighted that the reason why we despise perfect environments (dark rooms) is because reducing uncertainties benefits us. He linked this theory to the paradox of horror. Our bodies are built to despise disgust, yet we gravitate to Pennywise’s fanged teeth, because horror films evoke strong emotions in us and our brains adjust to better handle possible comparable situations in the future.
Dr. Miller concluded that uncertainty is “part of the healthy mind,” thus, even while our cognitive model often works to correct errors and adapt, it’s crucial to continuously challenge it by taking risks and placing ourselves in uncomfortable (but not overwhelming) situations. Emancipation can also be framed as a mental process that requires internal conflict to defy subconscious rules that corner us in dark rooms, preventing us from reaching our full potential.
This idea of internal liberation was further expanded by the second TED Talk speaker, Jennifer Song. Jennifer Song, a 4th-year Rotman student, discussed the concept of invisible frames. Jennifer started by summarizing that culture is made up of repeated responses that become norms and soon infinite frames that act as invisible expectations in society. However, when these expectations are followed too strictly, they can lead to suppression of creativity and identity, as Jennifer stressed, through her personal connection. Jennifer illustrated that she grew up with a strict cultural frame where academics were the utmost priority; thus she excelled in high school, graduated with a top-right class, and was decorated with accomplishments. However, after arriving at U of T, Jennifer Song struggled to meet those expectations set by a culture that became an extension of who she was. Those expectations “translated into personal satisfaction” according to Jennifer Song, but when she struggled to differentiate between cultural expectations and her new life at U of T, it created a paradox.
However, this paradox was resolved when she discovered the role of video editing at the Varsity Publication. She initially accepted the position to keep her distracted, but she quickly discovered that she could use her new role to represent the voices of those who aren’t able to do so. As a result, she continued to put in more hours and effort into her video editing, this time viewing her role and newfound talent as a tool for justice. As she continued to work for the Varsity, she came across an article about a young girl whose illness deeply affected her personal life, resulting in her pursuing a different path than she had intended. According to Jennifer Song, it was a story that could be “a sad one or a story of resilience.” It showed her that meaning depends on how you look at things.
Jennifer Song concluded her TED Talk by stating that as a video editor, she’s realized she can be accomplished in her own way while still maintaining her Korean identity. By treating her cultural frames as guidelines, she became an active contributor to her story. Something that she asks everyone to do is re-evaluate their frames by naming them, questioning them, and finally owning them. Her journey shows that emancipation can emerge through not just defying legal, political, or even mental boundaries but by creating your own standards instead of blindly following facades of truths that might not serve your purpose in life. With that, the TEDxUofT conference concluded with the Hart House Chamber Group mesmerizing the audience with their live string performance, which accompanied the viewers’ lingering thoughts on how to achieve true freedom. I was too overwhelmed with capturing the essence of the moment to think. However, looking back at the experience, it reminds me a lot of this quote by Robin, a queer character portrayed in the famous Stranger Things show: “I was looking for answers in somebody else, but I had all the answers. I just needed to stop being so goddamn scared.” Despite the quote being rooted in queer acceptance, the moment echoed the conference’s central message: we often need to look inward to liberate ourselves (whether that be by putting our cognitive mind in uncomfortable situations or breaking down these frames that we have allowed to control us). As a person of colour at U of T, this whole experience, the conference and post-conference pondering has made me realize that I, as an individual, can’t be confined, as my capacity to grow is endless. Yet, this process of emancipation can only be achieved if I have the guts to look inward and claim it. While this took me a month to fully realize, others understood it immediately. As the final notes of the Hart House Chamber Group faded, the room felt different as it carried a subtle but unmistakable sense of awakening—and even a tad bit of hope.
