from Verse Twenty-OneWhen people are influenced by rulers, they do not follow their words but their actions. Therefore if rulers admire bravery, then even if they do not deliberately cause competition and conflict, their countries have many difficulties and will eventually be thrown into disorder by plunder and killing. If rulers admire physical beauty, then even if they do not permit license, their countries are benighted and unruly, and will gradually develop the problems caused by licentiousness.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
I underlined the clause above simply because it is so fitting in relation to what is going on in the United States right now. Over the last several years, our nation's chief financial interests, with the acquiescence of our elected officials, have been plundering the public coffers. Within the last week, an army psychiatrist opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, killing more than one dozen and injuring scores more.
Echoing the words of Malcolm X, it appears the "chickens have come home to roost." We live in a society in which our "rulers" exemplify greed, lying, pandering and rampant manipulation, while concurrently celebrating military might (the "shoot first, ask questions later" doctrine). Though Ronald Reagan's "trickle down" theory never seemed to work in the area of economics, it does and has in most other areas of life.
We see the very same thing afoot in dysfunctional families. If mom and dad preach abstinence, while concurrently getting drunk or stoned every night, their children are far more apt to hear the message of their actions, not their words.
If our leaders hope to engender a peaceful and just society, then they must lead by example. If not, the people will easily understand that the leaders are nothing more than hypocrites and members of the body politic are far more likely to mimic their deeds and not their lofty rhetoric.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
Echoing the words of Malcolm X, it appears the "chickens have come home to roost." We live in a society in which our "rulers" exemplify greed, lying, pandering and rampant manipulation, while concurrently celebrating military might (the "shoot first, ask questions later" doctrine). Though Ronald Reagan's "trickle down" theory never seemed to work in the area of economics, it does and has in most other areas of life.
We see the very same thing afoot in dysfunctional families. If mom and dad preach abstinence, while concurrently getting drunk or stoned every night, their children are far more apt to hear the message of their actions, not their words.
If our leaders hope to engender a peaceful and just society, then they must lead by example. If not, the people will easily understand that the leaders are nothing more than hypocrites and members of the body politic are far more likely to mimic their deeds and not their lofty rhetoric.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
The phrase we use in our family appears appropriate:
ReplyDelete“What parents tolerate; children embrace.”
H R T-
ReplyDeleteGreat and timely post. so agree about power, or better said, mis-use of power. And I understand and embrace my, our responsibility as role-models, leaders of sorts, in our family. We are SO aware of that, always.
Love to you and Della
Gail
peace......