LEADERS or BULLIES
Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020
If there was no speed limit, would we race past playgrounds?
We slow down, but do we slow down because of fear of the ticket, or because we don’t want to kill a child?
Can we be good without rules?
Could we have a civil society without them?
Most of us are law abiding, rule abiding, and ‘convention-observing’ cooperative citizens – paying bills on time, holding doors open for frail folk, observing the rules our parents taught us about right and wrong, how to treat people – but why?
Is it because we personally believe strongly in all those good things which produce all that good behavior?
If so, would we behave the same way if there were no rules – no boundaries of appropriate behavior, of social graces and good citizenship?
Answer, this, everyone – at least for yourself, when you look around at the countries we live in – do the actions of our leaders resemble the rule obedience we were taught in the sandbox about how to play well with others, the lessons of right and wrong we learned in life to command respect?
Or just to command?
Any resemblance of my comments to Prime Ministers and Presidents – to the leaders of countries and companies, is purely coincidental … because, I fear this is the norm now, if not the rule.
Reader feedback:
Very true, CC, Toronto, ON
Mark, I think you might like a book by Ray Dalio called ‘Principles’. Much of what you talk about he touches on and then puts forth in the principles. You have had a great writing streak. All your recent musings have resonated with me and others in my family. To a productive and rewarding 2020. Best, RT, White Rock, BC
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