I used to wonder where all the great people were. Where is all the excellence they could produce? Why does Hollywood put out so much mediocrity, for example? Movies cost $millions to make, so why doesn't someone go over the script one more time and make it twice as good with a few revisions?
Well, Hollywood is its own beast, I'm told, plagued by incredible egomaniacs and a bizarre power structure. Other limiting structures inhibit excellence elsewhere, like in national politics. How much more obvious can it get than when Sarah Palin was selected as a potential vice president of the United States? Puh-lease. Whether you're conservative or liberal, you have to admit she's much better suited to local politics.
I just always expected that most people have at least one talent - something they're genius at, at least one passion - something they love doing even if they haven't discovered it yet.
I thought that even if most people's talents and passions are more personal or local than global (like being a great parent, which is at least as important as being a great world leader), even so, that there must be more greatness waiting to happen, that it should be welcomed when discovered, and I wondered why important fields aren't more dominated by such individuals as would fit the part.
For a long time, I found my answer in the fact that life is too demanding to squeeze excellence into the schedule. People have jobs and families and health issues and vacations and standing up for your talent can be risky and take a heck of a lot of courage.
And that may be so, but I just read an interesting article at http://mises.org/story/2892 that got me thinking along other lines.
The article discusses The Remnant (a word used by Plato and Isaiah) vs. The Masses. It points out that in ancient times, this philosopher and prophet (also Marcus Aurelius, a politician) bemoaned the fact that the vast majority of people simply don't have the sense and the will to Do the Right Thing. The article even summarizes God's message to Isaiah: get out there and preach, but it won't do any good. The people won't listen. But there are a few who will, and your preaching will sustain them.
This idea was first widely challenged in the Renaissance. The Rebirth. The Enlightenment. At this time, it was asserted that the common wo/man has nobility in her/him, and given the right environment, it will shine forth.
Having been raised in a post-enlightenment era, or perhaps it's just part of my nature, but I have always believed this. I've always had high expectations for anyone willing to consider right and wrong, always believed that people are inherently good, and that given the right nurture, that people will choose good.
The article posits that such is not the case. That modern America, having provided ample opportunity for that nobility to blossom, has still resulted in masses who think small, petty thoughts, who covet and lie, and who more or less resemble the masses described by the ancients mentioned above.
While I read the article, I entertained the author's perspective and found it interesting. There's certainly something to it, but afterwards, I found myself arguing for my former belief.
Take another look at America, for example. Even if Americans are far from perfect, the latest stats I read say that 40% of us regularly attend church. Our volunteering and charitable donations numbers blow the rest of the world away. It's not just that we're more wealthy, we're more generous. Even if everyone can't be a fire fighter, we admire them as our heroes due to their selfless courage .
Actions and evidence like these show our real nature, and that nature is clearly good.
The argument that our nation has provided ample opportunity to bring out the best in people is also highly flawed. It has not! What child receives enough love and attention, or enough quality instruction? A generation or two ago, kids were expected to do what their parents said simply because they said so. And with our current national babysitter (television), how can most children expect to learn about what is good and why we should desire it, how to resolve problems without violence or a lot of illogical shouting (certainly not from our politicians!), or even how to feel good about themselves if they're not pretty/handsome or rich?
I'll end this rant on a tangent I didn't expect - that while I still crave excellence - in movies, politics, education, and all other arenas, the previous paragraph made me realize that the greatness we need most may be in raising and teaching our kids. Perhaps a great, loving parent is more important than the President of the United States. Perhaps that is the way to unlock their greatness, and only a select few will ever rise above the level of the masses without them.
Interesting thoughts. One thing I thought of while reading this is that a lot of the ‘big’ politicians or famous Hollywood people – who aren’t great, seem to be there for power or fame or pride, or whatever wrong reason. I find it easy to think that the reason you can’t find all those ‘GREAT’ people you are looking for is because they are not there to stand out and make a name for themselves. I think being a good person and choosing good and making a difference also goes along with “the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing” – you do it because it’s right, not because you want to show off to the world that you are doing the right – that would make everyone Pharisees.
Very interesting. In my belief and from my experience (which upholds that belief), people tend to do what is perceived as ‘necessary,’ often being so caught up in that perception that the ‘necessary’ (everyday living, competing, etc., etc., etc.) becomes the ultimate distraction from the individual’s own greatness. When one can turn one’s greatness TO those concerns and manage them, all to the good. When those concerns are merely distractions, we all lose. Our greatness is that core spark in us that unites us; it is represented in each of us by what we do best (love to do). I invite you to the above website to find info re: my newly published book, Live, From the Mystic; it explores the possible higher dimensions of our … distractions.
Excellent point, Diane. You say the same thing as Chuang Tzu (the successor to Lao Tzu, the “founder” of Taoism) in this poem I first read on my friend Beth’s dorm wall in Beijing:
The man in whom Tao acts without impediment
Harms no other beings by his actions,
Yet he does not know himself to be “kind,” to be “gentle.”
The man in whom Tao acts without impediment
Does not bother with his own interests
And he does not despise others who do.
He does not struggle to make money, and he does not make a virtue of poverty.
He goes his way without relying on others
And does not pride himself on walking alone.
While he will not follow the crowd, he won’t complain of those who do.
Rank and reward make no appeal to him.
Disgrace and shame do not deter him.
He is not always looking for right and wrong, always deciding “yes” or “no.”
The ancients said, therefore:
The man of Tao remains unknown
Perfect virtue produces nothing
“No-self” is “true-self”
And the greatest man is nobody.
– Chuang Tzu, translated by Thomas Merton
Linda, you make a useful distinction about talent – my preferred definition is not simply what someone can do well, but what they love doing, and thus the doing reinforces itself. This becomes a never-ending positive feedback loop – as opposed to negative feedback loops where we act to stop something negative (like eating to make hunger go away temporarily).
Most people center their actions around these negative feedback loops, and thus they never get ahead. Or, better said, they never find “the path” where life consists of the ongoing pleasure of pursuing the positive rather than the never-ending rat race of running from the negative.
Shaun, this is one of the things I really love about you, your depth of thought.
I agree with Di that there are many people being great out there in their own quiet ways. I look around at lot of my friends who are doing amazing things and I am inspired by them – even though “most” people don’t know it. (And maybe they don’t even realize it themselves.)
And I agree with you – that people are inherently good and have greatness inside of them. I think often it is the demands of life that keep us from realizing our true potential – I know that could be said of me personally. I also COMPLETELY agree that society is NOT fostering greatness. Many kids these days are really short-changed on learning responsibility, discipline, and the satisfaction that comes from not being “all about me.” (among other things, but I’ll spare you my rant) Plus, there is so much confusion as to what is really important in life.
Anyway – I also think we sometimes focus too much on overcoming weaknesses rather than building and utilitzing our strengths. Not that we shouldn’t strive to be better and do better, but what would have happened if Michael Jordan’s parents had made him focus on something he wasn’t the best at like art? Would he have missed that opportunity to be amazing at basketball? Maybe not the best example – but I hope you know what I mean. I think we’d see more greatness if we really encouraged people to use their strengths, think outside the box, not be afraid to try and fail – instead of fitting in to the status quo. (Mikaela’s 1st grade teacher will likely be my favorite ever – she was amazing at encouraging this individually in each of her students. If only they could all be like that.)
But amazingly enough there are many people who do “get it” and realize their greatness.
Anyway, blah blah blah. Not sure if that really “flowed,” but those are my thoughts. 🙂 (Finally getting caught back up on blogs after my crazy September.)