How do you fix a word that’s broken? A word we need when we bump into someone on the street, or break someone’s heart. In our increasingly disconnected secular world, “sorry” has been stretched and twisted, and in some cases weaponized. But it’s also one of the only ways we have to piece together a sense of shared values and beliefs. Through today's sea of sorry-not-sorries, empty apologies, and just straight up non-apologies, we wonder what it looks like to make amends.

Sometimes, being truthful can be uncomfortable—even risky. But can radical honesty and openness change things for the better? This hour, TED speakers take transparency all the way to its limit.

The role of art in the healing process. It’s not always easy to define, but we know it’s real, moving and meaningful. Not only for individuals, but for entire communities, as well.

University of, by and for the People,
Sarah Vowell.

Hospitals Find a Way to Say Sorry,
Laura Landro.

When a Surgeon Should Say, “I’m Sorry,”
Elizabeth Cohen.

Understanding Medical Errors.

Transparency, Compassion & Truth
The human element can give us kindness and compassion; it can also give us what we don't want— mistakes and failure. Leilani Schweitzer's son died after a series of medical mistakes. In this talk she discusses the importance and possibilities of transparency after medical errors. And how truth and compassion are essential for healing.