1 TED Talk Gwyneth Should Watch & You Too

 

Last week “People” magazine named Gwyneth Paltrow world’s most beautiful woman. It ignited a firestorm of criticism from internet haters who claim Gwyneth embodies many things but most beautiful is not among them.

 

Apparently, dozens of celebrity polls have been taken, and in addition to being ranked most beautiful, Gwyneth Paltrow is also ranked most hated.

 

Who exactly is participating in these polls? I’ve received robocalls about politicians but not one from a robot asking me my opinion about beautiful and/or annoying celebrities. This is a call I would definitely pick up and spend 10 minutes of my life on!

 

Here is why I think Gwyneth has so many haters. It has to do with vulnerability, specifically the fact that Gwyneth seems to have none. Just like she has no body fat, roots or addiction to carbs, Gwyneth also has no vulnerability. She appears impervious to all these perils that befall us mere mortals. So we hate on her.

 

Because vulnerability is good. We like our celebrities beautiful and flawed. Sandra Bullock reigned as America’s Sweetheart for so long because she was beautiful but also plagued by her union with a bad boy (idiot ex-husband Jesse James). There is a long tradition of this. (See Meg Ryan and her now ex-husband Dennis Quaid. Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe.)

 

We like our celebrities flawed so we can “relate” to them.  Never mind the fact that this, in itself, is a flawed concept. How much can we really relate to a woman who makes 15 million per film, has a raft of live-in help and is happy to live in a house with 6 bathrooms because she’s never had to clean even one of them?

 

So Gwyneth needs to quit appearing perfect and get herself some vulnerability (and perhaps Scrubbing Bubbles). I’m not the only one who thinks so. Dr. Brene Brown agrees that vulnerability is really, really good. It is, in fact, the key for everlasting happiness. Not just for Gwyneth Paltrow. But for all of us.

 

Dr. Brown is an important scientist busy figuring out the social implications of stuff like vulnerability. She’s also a really great storyteller. You know how much I love TED talks. Dr. Brown has a tremendous one. In under 10 minutes she’ll tell you why vulnerability is the answer to personal growth. She’ll do it in a way that will make you laugh and make you think. (Click this link to go to the TED talk on vulnerability by Dr. Brown.)

 

Watch it on your lunch break today. Gwyneth Paltrow, I think you should do this too. And also eat some carbs. If you do both these things, you’ll love yourself more and America will too.