i recently learned an invaluable lesson from a friend... he defined the difference between what it means to be transparent and what it means to be vulnerable.
let me preface the explanation first by saying that transparency use to be enough... well it was enough in a world where we did not invite people into our lives. we were honest, some might even argue authentic (the new buzz word) but not vulnerable. the point of the blog is not semantics, but a better understanding of what it takes to truly cultivate community.
with that said...
transparency is disclosure without invitation.
vulnerability is disclosure with invitation.
when we are vulnerable, we INVITE people to go further than simply just listen... we invite people to navigate life with us, to take relationships to a deep, below the surface level... we begin to desire accountability instead of shallowness...
vulnerability is the foundation of community...
community is the sum of individuals who get this...
welcome to the journey...
F
I think the difference is substantial. Transparency is easy for those of us accustomed to being blunt. Transparency can be exploitative: we use people as emotional dumping ground, and then leave it at that, never making any progress ourselves and maybe even holding others back with our behavioural/emotional garbage.
Vulnerability is hard, though; sometimes, I just want to vent and leave it at that–but venting rarely moves me forward (it usually is just a time for me to justify my sin to others so I feel better about myself). JM
Hey Freddy, who are you? Whats your story? I found you googling "vulnerable vs. transparent."
Jaimie