The TED Talk is titled “Everything happens for a reason” – and other lies I’ve loved. Kate Bowler gave it on July 2nd, 2019. The presenter discusses the notion of motivation, trying to figure out whether everything that happens in life has a reason. She does not explicitly address the issue of motivation, but it is implied in the video since a personal story Kate Bowler shares with the audience teaches people that not every notion can be justified. The speaker shares her personal story about an ideal life with a loving and caring husband, a long-awaited son, and a dream job being ruined by IV stage cancer (Bowler, 2019). She states that when she was young, she believed that everything happens for a reason. That is why if people do not harm anyone and are good, kind, and faithful, God will give grant them their perfect lives. However, the disease taught her that events happening in people’s lives are often unmotivated, and it is wrong to think that there is always a reason behind bad and good things.
I never had an experience with a severe disease ruining all plans and life in general, similar to Kate Bowler’s, but I noticed several times that good deeds and intentions do not always pay off. Moreover, I often see how people around me look for hidden reasons in the hope of justifying the failures they face. For instance, once, I heard a conversation between two friends when one complained about a train he missed this morning and was late for classes because of that. This person was strongly convinced that there was some unknown reason for this, and thus they tried to figure it out. However, according to Kate Bowler’s philosophy, not all things that happen in life have justified reason, and that is why life is so unpredictable.
The video helped me understand that not everything that happens may be considered a part of God’s plan for a certain person. The talk also made me realize that it is wrong to think that being kind and doing good things will necessarily lead to prosperity. At the same time, it does not mean that people should stop being kind and strive for better lives. Kate Bowler’s philosophy is more about the consideration that God or the universe is not responsible for everything that happen in people’s lives. That is why actions people make may have unpredictable results, either good or bad.
The most helpful about the presentation was the realization that not all events happening with people mean that they deserve it. Kate Bowler’s example clearly shows it – a perfect, loving, and caring mother and wife, a good professional with a supporting character, suddenly finds out that she has cancer. She did not do anything to deserve such a terrible diagnosis, but she still had it. The understanding that the majority of things in this life have no hidden reasons and are not a part of God’s plan made me form a different attitude towards everything I face with. It assures me that it is possible to build a life without the help of some magic powers. The presentation also motivates me not to shift responsibility for things I can control to someone else and not care much about the things I am unable to change.
Reference
Bowler, K. (2019). “Everything happens for a reason” – and other lies I’ve loved. [Video]. TED. Web.