David Brooks reports a number of interesting factoids in his column in today’s New York Times. He cites sources for a lack of confidence in American society. He talks of a mistrust of institutions, a lack of faith in government, anxiety over the future of our children and even (gasp) a weakening in public opinion for Obama. And while Brooks goes on to talk about what this means politically, I think it takes us to a different place. Brooks talks of a new political movement (the Tea party folks), and the emergence of potential leaders in that movement. I think the need is more for us to look within ourselves.
Hope and trust in institutions, faith in government, the search for a new leader we can all follow; these are all false hopes. It is only when we realize that we alone are the answer to our problems that we can move forward together. It is only when we each accept responsibility for our own destiny, and do it in a way that respects our fellow human, our earth and our souls; that we will be able to find a way forward.
I view the world as an entrepreneur. And I believe that the core of entrepreneurship is not the search for huge wealth, nor the desire for fame. And the heart of the entrepreneur is not one of greed, or ego, or even attention deficit disorder. What makes an entrepreneur – what truly makes a human – is the ability to accept that actions have risks and consequences, and know that you personally are responsible for those consequences – good, bad or indifferent.
Children have tea parties. They make believe. And they look to others to lead and guide them.
Adults know that they must act, and be responsible for those actions.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
The Two Choice Theory
As a child, we look for faults outside ourselves. And the most common cry we make is that “It’s not fair”. And, in the world view of a child, where needs are met by a support system and care is brought to us, that is an appropriate view.
When we arrive at adulthood, that view needs to change. We need to become responsible for our own actions, accepting the consequences (both good and bad) for our choices and our actions.
With that rather simplistic statement, let’s take a look at the world today.
Government funding is rampant. Personal greed is out of control. Law suits dot the landscape, waving in the wind like yesterday’s newspaper on a cold winter day. And what lies beneath these trends is a single human frailty, the Peter Pan Syndrome (I don’t want to grow up).
It is, quite simply, much easier to stay in the child’s mode, to blame others, to point the finger anywhere but in the mirror, to seek the solution that requires the least effort on your own part. And for a country that is founded on self-reliance, on independence and the fruit of one’s own labor, this is a particularly interesting cultural drift.
So as we move into a decade of personal responsibility, let’s remember that we have two choices. We can either be an effect, or we can have an effect. We can choose to be a victim and cry out for someone to throw us a rope; or we can be the rope maker. We can call for a new law to force others to do as we wish, or we can be a role model and do the right thing even we are not required to (or even when no one is looking).
The adult choice is obvious. Let’s hope we make it.
When we arrive at adulthood, that view needs to change. We need to become responsible for our own actions, accepting the consequences (both good and bad) for our choices and our actions.
With that rather simplistic statement, let’s take a look at the world today.
Government funding is rampant. Personal greed is out of control. Law suits dot the landscape, waving in the wind like yesterday’s newspaper on a cold winter day. And what lies beneath these trends is a single human frailty, the Peter Pan Syndrome (I don’t want to grow up).
It is, quite simply, much easier to stay in the child’s mode, to blame others, to point the finger anywhere but in the mirror, to seek the solution that requires the least effort on your own part. And for a country that is founded on self-reliance, on independence and the fruit of one’s own labor, this is a particularly interesting cultural drift.
So as we move into a decade of personal responsibility, let’s remember that we have two choices. We can either be an effect, or we can have an effect. We can choose to be a victim and cry out for someone to throw us a rope; or we can be the rope maker. We can call for a new law to force others to do as we wish, or we can be a role model and do the right thing even we are not required to (or even when no one is looking).
The adult choice is obvious. Let’s hope we make it.
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