HomeHomeOctober 2008
Humor, Fear, and Calm During Hard Times
During difficult times, humor has always been used as a way to cope with painful or unthinkable events. With the world financial system in chaos, this period of time is no different. There's a joke circulating about the Canadian government's new plan to build a fence along the southern border to keep out the Americans who will soon be fleeing our political/financial upheaval.
Along with that bit of gallows humor is speculation about the sanity of the major players in the U.S. Presidential election race. Namely, why would anyone in his/her right mind WANT that job, given the multitude of difficulties that the soon-to-be-elected new leader will inherit? Are the Presidential candidates sane or insane to want the kind of job that guarantees premature aging--something else that Americans fear terribly, incidentally.
Our leaders have disappointed us. One look at Congress' approval ratings also tells a pathetic tale, and news stories about corruption and general failures in the business sector make the Soap Opera Digest look tame by comparison.
Needed: A Measure of Calm
Fear is a natural consequence of tough times, and, with so much uncertainty and instability in the world financial markets, it's clear that we have to find some measure of calm. With all the doom-and-gloom speculation, it's easy to fear of the future--for good reason. As Waleed Aly, from Australia's Monash University, writes in the Sydney Morning Herald, past economic and social chaos have led to the rise of fascism.
We must fight against our fear and recognize any form of neo-fascism, racism, sexism, ageism, xenophobia, or other unhealthy "isms" and phobias that may rear their ugly heads during the coming years.
What The Next President Needs to Know
Americans trust leaders who can understand common experiences. We want to know that our Presidents/Senators/Representatives know how to:
*pump their own gas, and understand just how rising gas prices hurt the common voterWe expect our leaders to be down-to-earth, and understand the common person, yet we want them to be capable enough to understand the complexities of modern statehood and governance.
*buy their own groceries and are familiar with grocery store scanners
*use a computer and "get" how the Information Age has revolutionized everything in the last 15 years, not just economically, but socially as well.
More than anything, we want to be inspired. We crave leadership that is strong, decisive, calm and inspiring. And, judging by the European reaction to the presidential candidates' visits this past summer, residents in countries around the globe crave inspired leadership too.
No matter how the U.S. Presidential election turns out, it will be historic. We will either have an African-American leader or the first female Vice President. Those who will take the reigns of power from the Bush administration in January will change history. Will they do so wisely? Will they learn from past historic periods of economic and social upheaval and change and provide calm leadership themselves?
Teresa
tcallies@Hotmail.com
On a Personal Note: Gandhi's Guidelines
Recently, I made a very personal trip to visit family in Australia. While walking in Canberra's Glebe Park, I came across a statue of Gandhi. On the pedestal was a list of his guidelines, which were quite touching, considering our turbulent times:
No politics without principle, no wealth without work, no commerce without morality, no education without character, no pleasure without conscience, no science without humanity and no worship without sacrifice.News, Tidbits and Other Interesting Items
One extraordinary man who understood how to inspire people was the late Randy Pausch, whose "Last Lecture" will provide a blueprint for years to come for those who seek to live their lives more fully.
During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt calmed a tired, hungry, restless nation with his words and leadership. You can learn more about Franklin Delano Roosevelt's inaugural address from the "History Matters" web site.
A local source of inspired leadership can be found at the Mind on the Media's Turn Beauty Inside Out National Leadership Summit held on Friday, October 17, at the Paul & Sheila Wellstone Center for Community building in St. Paul, MN. According to Mind on the Media, the 2008 Turn Beauty Inside Out Leadership Summit goal is to encourage girls and boys ages 10-17 to consider careers in politics and civic engagement, where they will have an impact on our nation's future.
And, speaking of leadership, Kavita Ramdas, CEO of the Global Fund for Women, recently wrote a thought-provoking essay in the San Diego Union Tribune. Her article highlights the political and socio-economic implications of nurturing women's access to power and leadership globally.
Teresa
tcallies@Hotmail.com
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