One of my favorite TED Talks is by Brené Brown, and it’s all about vulnerability. In a world filled with traumas and dramas, being open feels like a rarity. We often fear being trolled or canceled, which leads us to hold back our honest thoughts. Instead, we conform, cope, and put up defenses. We seem to have less desire to create space for others' perspectives, missing out on opportunities to really understand one another and find mutual ground.
Everything around us is designed to demand a reaction—whether it’s walking out of a store with those emoji buttons or starting a new app that immediately asks for a rating. I can't tell you anything after just 10 seconds! From social media to Netflix, even a simple phone call with a clinic ends with a text inviting me to fill out a survey. I often find myself giving feedback without really thinking it through, just trying to get it out of the way. It’s frustratingly time-consuming to do something simple without having to 'Agree All' to data collection. If I don’t, I’m faced with a long list of choices, feeling like I’m being punished for wanting to have a say.
I can’t help but find it almost comical how all of this impacts us. It feels like a stand-up comedian could easily turn it into an entire routine! I wonder why it seems like people are always wearing armor now. They’re not as open as I remember; they come off as more edgy and easily irritated. Maybe it’s because of all the user interfaces they have to react to. No thoughts left for genuine interactions in real-life situations.
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