Brene Brown – the Power of Vulnerability

1. summarize the Ted talk Brene cook, Ph. D. , LMSW, a self-purported commiseration-and-photo expert, is a search professor at the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work. Focusing the last ten years of her studies on the topics of vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame, Brene dark-browns work has been featured on PBS, CNN, NPR, and roughly notably TED.In her TED talk, she shargons the findings of her lengthy qualitative research, a massive collection of inter pictures including a vivid rendition of her own personal struggles, on the idea of human continuative which she states fundamentally expanded her perception and has changed the way she lives, wonders, works and p bents. Her touching eyeshade of her personal struggles with this research centers around her views of vulnerability, which embrown 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 obsta cles in mavens pursuit of true happiness. Brown draws together her ideas in a image she labels Wholeheartedness, and illustrates her theory on how to engage in our lives from a point of authenticity and worthiness. 2. Identify the assumptions made by the speaker To summarize her excogitation of Wholeheartedness, Brown begins her talk on the topic of Connection. We are hardwired to connect with others, its what gives purpose and meaning to our lives explains Brown, that in order to supply radio link to happen, we get to furnish ourselves to be seen as we are, not presenting except the parts we think others will like. During Browns research on connection, she elaborated on the idea that we a great deal fear universe disconnected from others, which she describes as the meaning of shame. We often finger shame and fear when we feel that we may become disconnected from others.Brown decided to contain a one-year detour from her research to explore shame in depth, unexpectedly resulting in six long years of what she quotes as the most important things she has ever learned in the decade of her research. Brown discovered thru her interviews that there were two distinct groups of individuals with only one unsettled separating the two groups a sense of Worthiness, which she defines as a unafraid sense of love and belonging. Brown explains that the one thing that keeps us from connection is the fear that we are not summa cum laude of connection.While digging deeper into the minds of those individuals whom had a strong sense of worthiness, what she found in common was their sense of courageousness. Brown reveals her participants had the courage to be imperfect, the compassion to be kind to themselves first base and then to others, further stating they had a connection as result of authenticity, they were involuntary to let go of who they thought they should be in order to be who they were, which she theorizes you absolutely have to do in order for connect ion to happen.Moving on to the group of participants who struggled with worthiness, Brown stumbles on the judgment of vulnerability, which she describes as the stub of shame and fear, and why we struggle with vulnerability. Having to see her own therapist to block out out her ideas on vulnerability, she explains that to be seen lets us build that connection with others which often means that we may find ourselves excruciatinglyvulnerable. We live in a vulnerable world states Brown, and in order to cope with these emotions, we desensitize ourselves.Brown theorizes that by numbing everything, we feel miserable and look for purpose and meaning, we feel vulnerable and then reach for something to ease our discomfort, a quick-fix, such(prenominal)(prenominal) as alcohol, drugs, or even food. Browns assumptions are summarized in her general theory of Wholeheartedness We must have the courage to allow ourselves to be seen even if it means we are vulnerable. To do so allows us to have c ompassion to connect with ourselves and others. 3. Describe any evidence given to affirm these assumptions. Brown explains that there is evidence of her theory of vulnerability. We are the most in-debt, obese, disposed and medicated adult cohort in US history states Brown. She summarizes this evidence with the statements that we shew the uncertain certain. There is no discourse explains Brown, no countersign, in effect(p) a right or wrong answer, which she compares to what we see in current day religion and politics. She goes on to further explain that we not only perfect and blame, but that we also pretend that what we do does not have an affect or impact on others, two in our personal lives and even the corporate world.This is evident by such dealings as the BP Oil Spill, the recent bail-outs, recalls on retail products, etc. She draws the association of how common shame is using her own acknowledges, and how it contributes to our anxiety and unhappiness which all to man y of us attempt to suppress with the use of practice of medicine , food, drugs or alcohol to suppress these unwanted feelings. 4. Are there points of view not considered by the speaker? Explain. Although Browns assumptions of humans need for connection, our fears of shame and vulnerability are legitimate, these assumptions are based on surfacey feelings.Brown does not consider variables outside of our control, variables such as life experience stemming perhaps from early childhood or adolescence, witnessing or partaking in traumatic events, or any other life experience that effectively molds these feelings of inappropriateness. Brown herself instructs her own therapist not to dig into her own family life, no childhood sh*t, she just wanted to touch on the subject of vulnerability so that she could personally and professionally understand what makes us worthy of connection without digging below the surface.Opening up pandoras box would most sure enough result in much grittier resu lts. 5. State your position or place on the topic. I genuinely agreed with Browns public lecture points in her TED discussion, and I related to her own descriptions of her fallbacks of self-control, ie the need to of all time be right or better, and her fear of shame. The manner in which Brown unfolded her findings of her dedicated research clearly illustrated her theories. Drawing together her conclusions in her concept of wholeheartedness was clever and purposeful.However, the subject matter was very generalized and did not reflect real-life experience as a cause of such feelings of unworthiness or vulnerability, although it was helpful in nature. I personally view the discussion more as self-help collection of ideas that you might find quoted in a calendar or collection of daily passages to motivate yourself that you are worthy of connection, to allow yourself to be vulnerable, to open up yourself without the hesitation of risk. 6. What are the implications or consequences of t he speakers conclusions?Browns ideas are similar to what addicts are taught in rehabilitation-type settings. Addicts generally numb their feelings of unworthiness with substances such as drugs, alcohol, or food, or by actions or disruptive behaviors that allow them to release these feelings such as sex or pornography addicts and arsonists. However, once a traumatic event unfolds or an addict or even a non-addict experiences a trigger, or something that reminds them of their original feelings of unworthiness, individuals tend to fall back on their addictions or behaviors, relying even more on their numbing effects.I believe one prat only tell themselves so much what they want to believe onwards they face what they feel to be the truth of themselves or how they view themselves. A consequence of Browns ideas to tell ourselves to love with our whole hearts, to allow ourselves be to be seen, and to believe we are enough, could potentially lead one to a false sense of self, an inflated idea of who they are. Generally, individuals feel poor for a reason, due to their upbringing or life experience. In a perfect world, Browns ideas would be enough to self-medicate our ill wills.