Upsetness

Today I am upset. At a lot of things. The more I think on it the more I realize I am frustrated at not being in control. I don’t agree with a lot of things being discussed these days, nor reported on media. I deeply dislike the wave of criticism that only finds blame, not cause. A lot of talk is about what is rather than what ought to be. The fix of what ails us today is not always needed. What is needed is imagining what we think ought to be the condition.

Then work to make that happen.

In business circles that is what we do. That is called planning. Higher forms of planning are strategic. It requires us to stretch our mind to develop an image of what conditions would be much better than those we encounter today.

In the 60’s John F. Kennedy claimed a goal of putting man on the moon before the end of the decade. He also asked not to ask what the country can do for you, but what can you do for your country.

Those two statements embodied a decade of striving. We invented the Peace Corps. We invented our way to the moon and back. In the process we invented entire industries, jobs, careers and purpose – our own individually and the nation’s.

Today we are splintered in a thousand bits and bobs. We focus on our own little piece of action, not the whole that requires more of our attention. That reality, right there, causes us to spread our attention to too many pieces. We lose focus, strength, and purpose. Resolve fades along with this diversion of thinking.

This is what upsets me. The more I analyze it the more I realize we are wasting our resources on too many things and losing opportunities to solve real problems. With this comes frustration. I know we can do better. We have always done better. Today we are not doing better. We are digging a deep pit of dysfunction. With it comes distrust in others, especially our institutions that are the beacon of hope and resources to make good things happen.

I see this. Do you? Why do others miss seeing this?

I am not the only person who sees this promise for the future. I have faith that many know this is true. Why then do we allow others to dictate an agenda of mediocrity and failure? A status quo of problems?

Folks, the future is ours to build. The hopes and dreams of mankind have always been laid on our shoulders. So often we have responded with action and resolve.

Why not today?

October 4, 2021