# Sống và nghĩ như nước | Thái Hà Đặng Thị | TEDxULIS

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3-ahEk7qFo
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/Z3-ahEk7qFo
Generated: 2025-12-15T16:07:07.021+00:00

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## Quick Overview

The presentation argues that the Vietnamese relationship with water, which is deeply ingrained in culture, mythology, and daily life, is facing a critical shift due to modern development, urging the audience to reassess their perceptions of water beyond mere resource extraction and embrace a more conscious, reciprocal relationship.

**Key Points:**
- The speaker highlights the cultural significance of water, referencing Vietnamese myths like Lạc Long Quân and Thủy Tinh, where water is intrinsically linked to national identity and survival.
- The presentation contrasts historical reverence for water with modern urban development (e.g., wedding photos on bridges, city expansion along rivers) which often prioritizes construction over natural flow.
- Ancient texts like the 'Linh Nam Chích Quái' and 'Việt Điện U Linh' depict water as a sacred, foundational element, contrasting with contemporary destructive practices like deforestation leading to severe floods.
- The speaker contrasts two historical views of water: the mythical, spiritual connection (Sơn Tinh - Thủy Tinh) and the utilitarian/colonial view ('Đất đai Đồng bằng Cửu Long' article), which treats water as a mere resource to be exploited.
- The presentation concludes by advocating for 'Blue Humanities'—a mindful, reciprocal approach to water—and encourages the audience to move beyond viewing environmental disasters solely as 'natural' events ('Thiên tai') and recognize human contribution.
- Visual aids included imagery of the modern Saigon river, ancient Vietnamese myths (Lạc Long Quân, Sơn Tinh - Thủy Tinh), historical texts, and contemporary environmental devastation (flooding/river pollution).

![Screenshot at 00:09: The speaker begins her presentation by showing a wedding photo taken on a bridge in modern-day Saigon, juxtaposing the image of contemporary happiness against the backdrop of urban development along the river to initiate a discussion about the changing relationship with water.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-00-09.png)

**Context:** This TEDxULIS talk, titled 'Sống và nghĩ như nước' (Living and Thinking Like Water), is delivered by Thái Hà Đặng Thị, exploring the deep cultural, historical, and spiritual significance of water in Vietnamese society. The presentation moves from ancient mythology and folklore, which personifies water as a powerful, sacred entity, to contemporary challenges where unchecked development and exploitation threaten this vital natural resource, ultimately calling for a paradigm shift in how Vietnamese people perceive and interact with water.

## Detailed Analysis

The presentation establishes that the Vietnamese relationship with water is fundamental, tracing it from human biological composition (70% water) back to creation myths where water is foundational. The speaker uses several historical and mythological references to illustrate this deep connection. She shows an image of a wedding photo taken on a bridge in modern Saigon to contrast with the historical significance of rivers and water sources. She references the myth of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ, noting that the ancestral connection to water is present in cultural narratives. Furthermore, she displays images from ancient texts like 'Linh Nam Chích Quái' and the book 'Việt Điện U Linh,' which treat water deities (like Thủy Tinh) with reverence, contrasting this with the utilitarian view presented in a 1932 article from 'Phong Hóa' that portrayed Sơn Tinh and Thủy Tinh as representatives of land and water struggle. The speaker then transitions to contemporary issues, showing an image of a devastating flood in the Mekong Delta, arguing that these events cannot simply be blamed on 'Nature' ('Thiên Tai') but result from human actions like deforestation. She contrasts the spiritual reverence for water (illustrated by Kim Tuấn's art depicting the Sơn Tinh - Thủy Tinh battle) with academic research ('Blue Humanities') that suggests modern society treats water as a mere resource, leading to disconnection and environmental degradation. The core message is a call to action: to stop viewing water only from a controlling, utilitarian perspective and instead adopt a more intuitive, reciprocal relationship, similar to the spiritual reverence found in older myths.

### Introduction and Modern Context

- The talk opens with the theme 'Sống và nghĩ cùng nước' (Living and Thinking with Water) and shows a contemporary wedding photo in Saigon
- The speaker immediately questions the audience's relationship with modern urban water spaces.

### Water in Mythology and History

- Discusses the myth of Lạc Long Quân and Âu Cơ, and the story of Sơn Tinh - Thủy Tinh from 'Linh Nam Chích Quái'
- Highlights the historical texts 'Việt Điện U Linh' and the 1932 'Phong Hóa' article, showing how water was central to national identity and historical narratives.

### The Modern Disconnect

- Shows images of severe flooding in the Mekong Delta and quotes regarding deforestation leading to disasters
- Argues that constantly blaming 'Thiên Tai' ignores human role in environmental crises.

### Contrasting Worldviews

- Compares the spiritual imagery of the Sơn Tinh - Thủy Tinh myth with the utilitarian prose of Vũ Ngọc Phan's 'Truyện Cổ Tích Việt Nam' (1955)
- Contrasts the spiritual relationship with the modern, exploitative mindset.

### The Way Forward

- Introduces the concept of 'Blue Humanities' and art by Iliana Manolson (2019)
- Concludes with a call to actively listen to what water is saying and to re-establish a conscious, reciprocal relationship with water resources.

![Screenshot at 00:00: Title slide for the TEDxULIS 2025 event themed 'PRISM'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-00-00.png)
![Screenshot at 00:09: Slide showing a wedding couple kissing on a bridge with modern city skyscrapers in the background, illustrating contemporary life along a river.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-00-09.png)
![Screenshot at 02:47: Slide titled 'Nước trong ta và ta trong nước' \(Water in us and us in water\) displaying a diagram of the human body showing 70% water composition.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-02-47.png)
![Screenshot at 03:31: Slide contrasting an ancient illustration of Lạc Long Quân/Âu Cơ story with the text 'Nước - từ huyền sử' \(Water - from myth\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-03-31.png)
![Screenshot at 11:52: Slide showing book covers: 'Tập văn Nguyễn Ngọc Tư' and 'Khai Đơn Mekong', illustrating literary works focused on water-related environments.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/Z3-ahEk7qFo/00-11-52.png)