TED 4: Brene Brown

TED Video #4 In Brene Brown’s TED talk, she shares the findings of her lengthy qualitative research, a massive collection of interviews including a colorful rendition of her own personal struggles, on the idea of human connection which she states “fundamentally expanded her perception” and has “changed the way she lives, loves, works and parents”. Her touching account of her personal struggles with this research centers on her views of vulnerability, which Brown summarizes as our “ability to empathize, belong, and love”. Brown digs even deeper into her exploration of shame and vulnerability, and how they act as obstacles in one's pursuit of true happiness. Brown draws together her ideas in a concept she labels “Wholeheartedness”, and illustrates her theory on how to engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness. Dr. Brene spoke in her Ted Talk about how there are two types of people that experience vulnerability, those that fear it and those that live beyond it accepting it as just an aspect of life. We have all seen this in our personal lives. For instance it’s common for a student to have a question in class but not ask it solely because they don’t want to reveal that they have a gap in their knowledge, despite education being the opportunity to fill such gaps. She shares that vulnerability is the birth place for innovation, creativity and change. This mere idea allows her to also incorporate that shame and vulnerability are separate, because as mentioned shame is to fear vulnerability, while vulnerability is what allows us to connect with others. So what I think she meant by vulnerability being the birth place for innovation, creativity and change is that when people live with vulnerability as the aspect of life then that’s how they have the ability for innovation, creativity and change, because doing all these things allow us to be suspects of vulnerability. Those who fear vulnerability would never have the ability for innovation,