How we measure impact…
Over fourty years ago Bobby Kennedy gave a speech about how we – as a Country – measure our worth. I think the ideas expressed in the speech are of value now more than ever. We currently live in a world where former institutions of American ingenuity are crumbling before our very eyes and people are losing their jobs and savings in the blink of an eye. It is now – more than ever – that we must remember that our worth cannot be measured by dollars and cents. Out true value comes from the strength of our relationships, our families, and our communities.
It is also time for us to remember that by pursuing puntative measures that we hurt ourselves. When we incarcerate individuals for long periods of time, criminologists and sociologists find that when the person released from prison that he or she is more dangerous than ever before. Punishment for the sake of justice is not justice at all. When we target bank executives hateful and slanderous remarks who benefits? When we legislate out of populist rage how does that impact the average citizen? It’s time for us – as a people – to come together and work through the current challenges that we face. We may not agree on every issue, but we can certainly reach out a hand to those who are struggling.
When you pass a serious car accident on the highway what do you do? Do you stop and ask the people what happened? Do you drive by without batting an eye? Or – do you call 9-1-1 for help?
Believe it or not, this is a theme we’re regularly discussing at my office. As terrible as this crisis has been for everyone (can’t think of one person who hasn’t been affected by the current economy/situation we’re in), it forces us to think less about “stuff” and more about who we are…and what we are giving back! Hopefully an end result of this mess is that we become less obsessed with our iPhones and more in-touch with our community.
Speaking of iPhones… Was in Chicago over the weekend, en route to the train station. The driver accidentally ran over a pedestrian’s foot. My first reaction? Text my friends… My immediate next reaction was to get out of the cab and offer to call this guy an ambulance. Has technology and privilege made us all a-holes. Or just me?
I have this speech posted in my office. I think it expresses one of the great shortfalls of the current prevailing conversation/world view.