This moment carries an invitation for all Americans. To choose a different path, for ourselves and our nation. Leadership instead of punditry. Humility instead of cleverness. Integrity before rightness. Silent service over grandiose puffery.
The rub is that our culture, tech, and media is wired to celebrate …
This moment carries an invitation for all Americans. To choose a different path, for ourselves and our nation. Leadership instead of punditry. Humility instead of cleverness. Integrity before rightness. Silent service over grandiose puffery.
The rub is that our culture, tech, and media is wired to celebrate and promote punditry, cleverness, rightness, and smack-downs. You don't get ahead (at least in the short term) through gritty gentleness and humble servant leadership.
So the invitation toward a better America hinges on a personal choice that we all make daily. Do I want what is easier and carries definite short-term rewards and built-in applause? Or will I choose the hard road of integrity, of doing good but allowing others to take the credit—of turning the other cheek for the betterment of the whole—of building things for the future instead of fortifying my own little empire?
Our national character is the sum of our individual characters. We can't live personally selfish, decedent, sloppy, and callous, and then expect our country to be otherwise.
It isn't easy.
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Thank you, Bari, for the weekly wealth you send to my inbox. It is worth far more than I pay for it.
WELL-SAID, Matt Shaw! Thing is, and ICBW, I'll say I may BE wrong: It APPEARS to me that a very LARGE percentage of the Millennials and Gen-Zers simply were never TAUGHT, humble, long-term, or any-a that kind-a values. Not taking credit? Betterment of whole? I'm not saying there aren't ANY under 40. But percentages?
My OPINION is that it takes parents and grandparents to cut OFF social media. TELL them there's another Way. Me? Have neither children nor grandchildren, but that's a long story.
Beautiful and eviscerating.
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This moment carries an invitation for all Americans. To choose a different path, for ourselves and our nation. Leadership instead of punditry. Humility instead of cleverness. Integrity before rightness. Silent service over grandiose puffery.
The rub is that our culture, tech, and media is wired to celebrate and promote punditry, cleverness, rightness, and smack-downs. You don't get ahead (at least in the short term) through gritty gentleness and humble servant leadership.
So the invitation toward a better America hinges on a personal choice that we all make daily. Do I want what is easier and carries definite short-term rewards and built-in applause? Or will I choose the hard road of integrity, of doing good but allowing others to take the credit—of turning the other cheek for the betterment of the whole—of building things for the future instead of fortifying my own little empire?
Our national character is the sum of our individual characters. We can't live personally selfish, decedent, sloppy, and callous, and then expect our country to be otherwise.
It isn't easy.
--
Thank you, Bari, for the weekly wealth you send to my inbox. It is worth far more than I pay for it.
WELL-SAID, Matt Shaw! Thing is, and ICBW, I'll say I may BE wrong: It APPEARS to me that a very LARGE percentage of the Millennials and Gen-Zers simply were never TAUGHT, humble, long-term, or any-a that kind-a values. Not taking credit? Betterment of whole? I'm not saying there aren't ANY under 40. But percentages?
My OPINION is that it takes parents and grandparents to cut OFF social media. TELL them there's another Way. Me? Have neither children nor grandchildren, but that's a long story.