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The Art of Reading Minds | Oz Pearlman | TED

TED14:21Added Aug 30, 2026

Have you ever wanted to read someone's mind? Mentalist Oz Pearlman is billed as one of the world's greatest mind readers ... and yet, he says he doesn't have any special powers. In this spectacular talk meets psychic-inspired magic show, he demonstrates his skills on a live audience in the TED theater. (Recorded at TED2025 on April 11, 2025)

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Contributed by 刘嘉琪

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  1. 00:04I am billed as the world's greatest mind reader.
  2. 00:07But guess what?
  3. 00:08I can't read minds.
  4. 00:10What I can do is read people.
  5. 00:14And people ask a question all the time,
  6. 00:16which is, “Were you born with this?”
  7. 00:19And the answer is no, of course not.
  8. 00:21Absolutely not.
  9. 00:22I do not possess any supernatural powers.
  10. 00:26I am not a psychic.
  11. 00:28This is a learnable skill that I feel anyone could do,
  12. 00:32but I've applied for about roughly three decades
  13. 00:36at reverse-engineering the human mind.
  14. 00:39If I know how you think, I know what you think.
  15. 00:42And I want to ask each and every one of you in this room a question.
  16. 00:46But before we do, take a deep breath in.
  17. 00:48Take a deep breath in.
  18. 00:50Exhale out and close your eyes.
  19. 00:53A little zen mode, OK.
  20. 00:55I see the people with trust issues,
  21. 00:56eyes wide open, holding their wallets and phones.
  22. 00:59Fellow New Yorkers.
  23. 01:01(Laughter)
  24. 01:02Here is my question.
  25. 01:04If you could have dinner,
  26. 01:05hypothetical, with someone famous, right?
  27. 01:08Some of you have heard this question already,
  28. 01:10I didn't invent it, I love asking people,
  29. 01:12someone famous, dead or alive, past or present,
  30. 01:14man, woman, whatever.
  31. 01:16I like to ask people, who would that person be for you?
  32. 01:18It’s fascinating, everyone’s different,
  33. 01:20and if you've already done it, open your eyes.
  34. 01:22Some of you have done it, some of you are quick,
  35. 01:24I see nods, I see people that are decisive.
  36. 01:26If you haven't, you always need a deadline for creativity.
  37. 01:29Three, two, one, crunch time, open your eyes.
  38. 01:31Everyone out there, give me a big clap over your head
  39. 01:34if you can see your person in your mind's eye, give me a big clap.
  40. 01:37(Claps)
  41. 01:38One more big clap.
  42. 01:41Notice the technique.
  43. 01:42Elbows locked on this man.
  44. 01:44Michael Phelps would have been jealous of that streamline.
  45. 01:47Stand up, please.
  46. 01:48Introduce yourself.
  47. 01:51Person: I'm Ian.
  48. 01:52OP: Ian, question for you.
  49. 01:54Before you walked in this room and sat down,
  50. 01:56did you have any idea who I was or what I was going to do?
  51. 01:59Ian: No, actually, sorry.
  52. 02:00OP: OK, that's cool, nobody reads the agenda.
  53. 02:03Totally fine.
  54. 02:05Give me another clap.
  55. 02:07I like that, right here, you not only clap,
  56. 02:10but threw in a little belly dance.
  57. 02:11I reward extra credit.
  58. 02:13She's hiding her name tag.
  59. 02:15She's like, "I'm giving the mentalist nothing."
  60. 02:17What is your name?
  61. 02:18Person: Oh, hi, I'm Nanjera.
  62. 02:19OP: Nanjera? Stand up please.
  63. 02:21Did I say that correctly, Nanjera?
  64. 02:23Wonderful.
  65. 02:24Give me another clap.
  66. 02:26One more clap.
  67. 02:28This man and I just locked eyes.
  68. 02:31When we made eye contact,
  69. 02:33he closed his eyes tightly.
  70. 02:36(Laughter)
  71. 02:37As if activating a camouflage shield
  72. 02:40where if he doesn't see me, would I still see him?
  73. 02:43I still see you, Jeff Johnson, stand up, please.
  74. 02:46Give all three helpers a round of applause.
  75. 02:48(Applause)
  76. 02:51Notice the question and the way it was phrased.
  77. 02:55Dead or alive?
  78. 02:56Fifty-fifty, like flipping a coin.
  79. 02:59All three of you, please.
  80. 03:00I don't read minds, I'm telling you the truth.
  81. 03:02I read people.
  82. 03:04Try not to react.
  83. 03:05If the person you thought of is alive,
  84. 03:07then their heart is beating in their chest,
  85. 03:09the room is getting warm,
  86. 03:10like the blood flowing through their veins,
  87. 03:12they're happy, smiling, alive, warming up.
  88. 03:14Cold? You feel a shiver down your neck.
  89. 03:17Clear cut, 100 percent,
  90. 03:19Jeff Johnson, your person is alive and well, am I right?
  91. 03:22JJ: You're right.
  92. 03:23OP: The boisterous smile, the effervescence, 100 percent,
  93. 03:26versus Ian, dead guy vibes written all over this guy.
  94. 03:28Is it a dead guy?
  95. 03:30Ian: Yeah.
  96. 03:31OP: Classic Ian, classic.
  97. 03:33(Laughter)
  98. 03:35Ian, focus on this --
  99. 03:38Also, the lingering hands in pockets, always indicator of another guy.
  100. 03:41Guy-to-guy interaction. Is it a guy?
  101. 03:43Ian: Yes.
  102. 03:44OP: Of course it is.
  103. 03:45If it's a female, hands in front of the crotch, I don't know why.
  104. 03:49(Laughter)
  105. 03:53A few of you are going to get home, and you see your husband like this,
  106. 03:57and you're like, "Who is she?"
  107. 03:58(Laughter)
  108. 04:00Ian, think of his first name, think of his last name.
  109. 04:03First name, last name.
  110. 04:05Come back to me.
  111. 04:06The first name, try to count the letters.
  112. 04:08This doesn't make sense.
  113. 04:10Listen to me.
  114. 04:11This doesn't make sense.
  115. 04:12He was confused when I asked about the last name.
  116. 04:15He tried to shield it, but I saw it.
  117. 04:17Why was he confused?
  118. 04:18Then I asked the first name, count the letters.
  119. 04:20It was too long.
  120. 04:22Sit down if it's Alexander the Great.
  121. 04:24Ian: What?
  122. 04:25(Laughter and scattered applause)
  123. 04:30You don't have to hold the applause inside, TED.
  124. 04:32You can let it out.
  125. 04:33(Applause and cheers)
  126. 04:41You've seen a taste of what I do.
  127. 04:43And this is used primarily for the purpose of entertainment.
  128. 04:46But what I'd like to show you now
  129. 04:48is how you could apply the principles of my craft,
  130. 04:51which is known as mentalism,
  131. 04:52to your everyday lives.
  132. 04:54At home, at work, in your relationships.
  133. 04:56How would guessing a celebrity out of a stranger's mind help you?
  134. 05:00Well, frankly, it really can't.
  135. 05:02(Laughter)
  136. 05:03But I have a situation,
  137. 05:05a scenario where knowing someone's name would be incredibly valuable.
  138. 05:09Let me paint a portrait.
  139. 05:11You're at a party, you're at a work event,
  140. 05:13you've walked up to somebody new,
  141. 05:15you've looked them in the eye, shaken their hands,
  142. 05:17introduced yourselves to each other,
  143. 05:19and right at that moment,
  144. 05:20you realize that you have completely forgotten the person's name
  145. 05:25who just told it to you one second ago.
  146. 05:28Raise your hand if you can share this experience.
  147. 05:31You raise your hand, too, you liar.
  148. 05:33She's like, "Not me, not me."
  149. 05:37I want to give you a superpower,
  150. 05:39from this day forward, where you will never, ever
  151. 05:42forget the name of someone you just met.
  152. 05:44Ever.
  153. 05:45And how am I going to do this?
  154. 05:46Using, can you guess?
  155. 05:47Shampoo.
  156. 05:49Didn't see that one coming, did you?
  157. 05:51The back of every bottle of shampoo is a masterclass in brilliant marketing.
  158. 05:55Three words in the instructions: lather, rinse, repeat.
  159. 05:59Lather, makes your hair smell good;
  160. 06:01rinse makes it clean;
  161. 06:02repeat -- we've got to sell some product.
  162. 06:05I want to repurpose that catchphrase
  163. 06:08that each and every one of you will remember
  164. 06:10and take with you for the rest of your days.
  165. 06:12Listen. Repeat. Reply.
  166. 06:13Say it with me, listen, repeat, reply.
  167. 06:16Listen sounds like the most obvious thing in the world.
  168. 06:19Of course, listen to the name.
  169. 06:20But that's where most of you falter.
  170. 06:22At the moment the person tells you the name,
  171. 06:24you are actually not listening.
  172. 06:26You are thinking about what you're going to say back.
  173. 06:29Do I know this person or what am I going to say next?
  174. 06:31Or a million other thoughts that pop into your head.
  175. 06:33It's not a memory issue.
  176. 06:35You didn't forget the name, you never knew it.
  177. 06:37Imagine I give you a twig
  178. 06:40and I tell you, write my name in the sand at the beach.
  179. 06:43And you try with the twig.
  180. 06:44First wave washes it away.
  181. 06:46But if I give you a thick branch, you carve it in.
  182. 06:49You repeat those letters.
  183. 06:50It's going to take a whole lot of waves until there's no trace.
  184. 06:53So here's what each of you is going to do.
  185. 06:55When you meet the next person,
  186. 06:57make your mind a blank for all of two seconds.
  187. 06:59When they say their name, truly listen.
  188. 07:01And now repeat.
  189. 07:03Everybody say it with me, repeat.
  190. 07:05We are going to say their name twice back to them, right?
  191. 07:08Ashley, is that right?
  192. 07:10Great to meet you Ashley.
  193. 07:12This serves two purposes.
  194. 07:13One, it kind of repetitively ingrains it in our memory.
  195. 07:17Second, you know how to pronounce it correctly.
  196. 07:19Nanjera? Am I saying that right, Nanjera?
  197. 07:21See, there was a reason I did that.
  198. 07:23Third, third: reply.
  199. 07:26Listen, repeat?
  200. 07:27Reply.
  201. 07:28Reply is where we fully cement the name in.
  202. 07:30Here is how we do that, I'll give you three examples.
  203. 07:33First one, a compliment.
  204. 07:34Everyone loves a good compliment, right?
  205. 07:36"Ashley, those earrings, I love those earrings, Ashley."
  206. 07:39Now she's Ashley with the earrings.
  207. 07:40A visual indicator.
  208. 07:42Next up, spelling.
  209. 07:44"Do you spell that Ashley with an EIGH or with an EY?
  210. 07:48EY, of course, that's the right spelling, Ashley, I knew."
  211. 07:51Or, third, a personal connection.
  212. 07:54"Ashley, that's so funny.
  213. 07:55My cousin’s married to Ashley.”
  214. 07:57Is my cousin really married to Ashley?
  215. 07:59Absolutely not, I'm a total liar.
  216. 08:00(Laughter)
  217. 08:02But none of you will forget the name Ashley.
  218. 08:06And neither will I.
  219. 08:07And neither will we forget Nanjera,
  220. 08:09after I said her name multiple times.
  221. 08:12Nanjera, I think -- again, rouging of the cheeks, little sweat.
  222. 08:16Your person is alive also.
  223. 08:18Nanjera: Correct.
  224. 08:19OP: Now, what I do in my profession
  225. 08:21is I take things that appear to have limitless possibilities
  226. 08:24and break them down.
  227. 08:26People that are famous, there are several, kind of, categories.
  228. 08:29I'm going to say them quickly, you don't have to nod,
  229. 08:32but we had a conqueror, let's call it a historical figure.
  230. 08:35We have singers, movie stars,
  231. 08:37athletes, comedians, politicians,
  232. 08:39already registered a hit.
  233. 08:40Too funny you did this.
  234. 08:41Alright.
  235. 08:43Shouldn't have smiled, tighten it up, Nanjera.
  236. 08:45(Laughter)
  237. 08:53Three days ago, I did a show in Dallas, Texas.
  238. 08:57Dallas, Texas.
  239. 08:58And the last person standing thought of a singer.
  240. 09:01It's always singers where this happens.
  241. 09:04I got his singer correct and he didn't sit down.
  242. 09:07And do you know what he said to me?
  243. 09:09I go, you know, why isn't he sitting down?
  244. 09:11He goes, "Oh yeah? What song am I thinking of?"
  245. 09:14(Laughter)
  246. 09:15I'm like, buddy, this is not Netflix.
  247. 09:18(Laughter)
  248. 09:20Always singers.
  249. 09:24Tell us all,
  250. 09:26who, in your mind, is sitting across from you, having dinner?
  251. 09:30You're on the edge of your seat.
  252. 09:31What's their name?
  253. 09:32Nanjera: Bob Dylan.
  254. 09:36OP: I couldn't hear you.
  255. 09:37Nanjera: Bob Dylan.
  256. 09:39OP: Can I ask you a question?
  257. 09:40I always like this. Everyone, listen to me.
  258. 09:42I call this the grass is greener approach.
  259. 09:44I can always see it when someone's eyes shift.
  260. 09:46She goes, "Mm, I like Bob Dylan,
  261. 09:48but I actually had someone else in my mind."
  262. 09:50You thought of someone else.
  263. 09:51It's in the back of your head, but you just shifted.
  264. 09:54Can you tell me --
  265. 09:56Folks --
  266. 09:57(Laughter)
  267. 09:58This is not my first rodeo.
  268. 10:00(Laughter)
  269. 10:03Who was the first person you thought of?
  270. 10:06(Laughter)
  271. 10:09Tell us.
  272. 10:11Nanjera: Trevor Noah.
  273. 10:12OP: Ooh. It's not a singer.
  274. 10:14Ooh.
  275. 10:16Don't ever doubt me again, TED,
  276. 10:17don't you ever doubt me again.
  277. 10:22(Applause and cheers)
  278. 10:30Jeff.
  279. 10:31Do you know what the most common question I get at the end of a show is?
  280. 10:35Other than, of course, "How do you do it,"
  281. 10:38is, "Aren't you afraid of getting it wrong?"
  282. 10:41That's what I get asked,
  283. 10:42because people understand that there is risk involved in what I do.
  284. 10:45This is not sleight-of-hand card tricks that work every time.
  285. 10:48And so the answer is, yeah, of course, of course I am.
  286. 10:51You know what?
  287. 10:52Because what's fascinating to me is people can feel the element of risk.
  288. 10:56And I think the number one factor in success,
  289. 11:00both on stage and in every facet of my life,
  290. 11:02is an unshakable belief that it will work.
  291. 11:05It's self-fulfilling.
  292. 11:06And in this case, it's not a belief that I'm going to guess your person.
  293. 11:09Been there, done that.
  294. 11:12I don't plateau, Jeff, I peak.
  295. 11:15So I am not going to read your mind.
  296. 11:18I want to empower someone in this room to do it instead.
  297. 11:22This Frisbee --
  298. 11:24(Laughter)
  299. 11:26Was purchased on Amazon Prime,
  300. 11:28free two-day shipping, 87 cents.
  301. 11:31It has a 1.5-star review.
  302. 11:33(Laughter)
  303. 11:34This is literally the worst Frisbee in the world.
  304. 11:37(Laughter)
  305. 11:38Please, sir, grab that.
  306. 11:40Tell me your first name.
  307. 11:41Person: Dylan.
  308. 11:42OP: That's correct.
  309. 11:44(Laughter)
  310. 11:45Stand up, Dylan.
  311. 11:47The Frisbee is made out of mesh, everybody.
  312. 11:49Which means if it hits you in the face, it will not hurt.
  313. 11:51But it will hurt your pride if this goes viral on TED Talks later.
  314. 11:54Everyone hands up in defensive posture.
  315. 11:56Dylan, close your eyes so you can't even try to aim this piece of junk.
  316. 12:00Throw it.
  317. 12:01Someone catch.
  318. 12:02Give it a throw, please go.
  319. 12:03Oh, my God, is that far?
  320. 12:05Mike runner, run, run, run.
  321. 12:06Stand up, stand up!
  322. 12:08(Applause)
  323. 12:10Please stand up.
  324. 12:12What is your name?
  325. 12:14Did you say Brett?
  326. 12:16Person: Yeah, Brett.
  327. 12:17OP: Have you ever met or spoken a word to Jeff Johnson before?
  328. 12:21Brett: I actually haven't.
  329. 12:22OP: OK, maybe more networking at the next breakout session.
  330. 12:25(Laughter)
  331. 12:27Please, Brett, come on up.
  332. 12:28Give him a huge round of applause, make your way up, Brett.
  333. 12:32Two Ts, I like the way you roll, Brett.
  334. 12:35Not going to forget that name, are you now?
  335. 12:39Pleasure to meet you, sir.
  336. 12:40Brett, I’m bringing you front and center.
  337. 12:44Let's adjust this to the height my wife wishes I had.
  338. 12:47(Laughter)
  339. 12:48She is watching this now live and saying "That's true."
  340. 12:52Brett, here's what you're going to do.
  341. 12:54I'm going to ask you in a moment --
  342. 12:56Have you ever spoken to me a word in your life?
  343. 12:59Brett: I haven't.
  344. 13:00OP: He seemed happy about that, that was weird.
  345. 13:03I'm going to ask him in a moment to close his eyes.
  346. 13:07You need to believe it in order to achieve it.
  347. 13:10When you close your eyes, I am going to ask Jeff to uncap a marker.
  348. 13:14And you're going to write the person.
  349. 13:15Very important, Jeff,
  350. 13:17you thought of one person, is that correct?
  351. 13:19Jeff: That's right.
  352. 13:20OP: Because, you know, Nanjera is like, having dinner.
  353. 13:22She's like, load it up, let's get a six top.
  354. 13:25Brett, close your eyes.
  355. 13:28His eyes are closed.
  356. 13:29Brett, keep your eyes closed.
  357. 13:32Jeff, open up your marker, please.
  358. 13:34As big as you can, so we can't see it,
  359. 13:37write down the first and last name
  360. 13:39of the person you are imagining sitting down to dinner with.
  361. 13:43Brett, open your eyes.
  362. 13:46You have to believe it in order to achieve it.
  363. 13:48Look, not into his eyes, look into his soul.
  364. 13:50And when I snap my fingers,
  365. 13:51tell him, who is he having dinner with?
  366. 13:54Brett: Barack Obama.
  367. 13:55OP: Turn it around!
  368. 13:56Show everybody, show everybody.
  369. 13:59(Cheers and applause)
  370. 14:04Thank you, Brett.
  371. 14:06(Cheers and applause)
  372. 14:18I am Oz Pearlman, thank you very much, everybody.