It is quite unTED-like in that most often the TED speakers are trying hard to deliver in 17 minutes a life time of learning and thinking. Pope Francis delivers with peace and conviction, straight to the heart.
He is speaking to each and everyone of us but also he is speaking truth to power. He knows his audience. “There is this habit, by people who call themselves 'respectable,' of not taking care of the others, thus leaving thousands of human beings, or entire populations, on the side of the road…"Power is like drinking gin on an empty stomach You feel dizzy, you get drunk, you lose your balance, and you will end up hurting yourself and those around you, if you don't connect your power with humility and tenderness."
In the talk Pope Francis called for a global solidarity. "How wonderful would it be if solidarity — this beautiful and, at times, inconvenient word, were not simply reduced to social work, and became, instead, the default….I know that TED gathers many creative minds,…How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us.”
And when you are done watching, watch it again and think how you might be able to send this link to our Prime Minister, your MLA or Member of Parliament or to some other world leaders who might come to mind, send it to your email address list and ask them to watch and forward until this becomes the most watched TED talk. It needs to be because of this particular time in history in which we find ourselves. We need hope and we need action, a revolution of tenderness.