Renowned American writer Maya Angelou advised, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
In other words, before we put anyone into a position of trust in our lives, we need to examine their track record. How do they treat the most vulnerable people in our society? How do they respond when they make a mistake? Are they kind and courageous, and do they live with integrity? How do they behave when they think no one is looking?
While forgiveness is a wonderful thing, manipulation is not. Some people and entities see the human tendency to hope and trust as weaknesses, and these individuals and institutions seldom change.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump did the world a great favour by demonstrating this truth. He was the same person as president as he was as a New York City land developer. After he was scrutinized in the media, his defenders pointed fingers at other world leaders, and we found that many of them have a great deal in common with Trump.
The same can be said of industries. It would be an understatement to say that pharmaceutical companies exist that have a history of prioritizing profits over the well-being of humans. Are we then surprised when their insistence on selling COVID-19 vaccines only to those who can provide the most to corporate profit margins results in variants of the disease continuing to circle the globe?
And what can be said of the obscene profits of the social media industry? They’ve developed ways to essentially monetize the vulnerabilities of the human psyche, resulting in extreme and inaccurate information being circulated, thus causing great disturbance to the social order.
While conclusive data is still forthcoming, a number of mental health professionals are discussing the impact of social media on human behaviour, especially among our youth. They’re warning of screen addictions and a rise in narcissistic type behaviours, not to mention an increase in the incidence of anxiety and depression. Are we surprised to see negative impacts from using a medium that prioritizes negative content?
However, we need to remember that each of us is free to choose how we will respond to the world around us. We’re able to choose who’s deserving of our trust and who isn’t. Power doesn’t rest with the elites who have demonstrated themselves to be unworthy of our trust; power lies with each of us and spreads into our homes, workplaces and communities.
It’s actually not very hard to bring about significant social change. In the 1960s, Ralph Nader and a group known as Nader’s Raiders took on the very powerful auto industry, which was making tremendous profit by selling unsafe automobiles. The result has been ever-improving standards in the auto industry that help keep us safe. Nader, now in his 80s, continues to be a tireless advocate for the common good as he celebrates and empowers others who are standing up to dishonest corporations and governments.
The very human qualities of integrity, compassion, kindness, respect, wisdom and courage are more enduring and powerful than greed, selfishness and cruelty. The truly great leaders in industry, politics and every other aspect of life have always understood these positive principles.
Each one of us has a role to play in preserving human life. We can consciously choose to be the kind and courageous people we want to be, and in so doing, hold ourselves and everyone around us accountable.
Historian Howard Zinn stated, “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”
Troy Media columnist Gerry Chidiac is an award-winning high school teacher specializing in languages, genocide studies and works with at-risk students. For interview requests, click here.
The opinions expressed by our columnists and contributors are theirs alone and do not inherently or expressly reflect the views of our publication.
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I am not a fan of ideology. As a sociopath can flourish in any ideology as they are attracted to power, and will seek to twist any system / belief to their advantage. History shows that there were Capitalist Sociopaths, Communist Sociopaths, Christian Sociopaths, Muslim Sociopaths …
On the other hand, people acting with integrity can improve any system, and a healthy society is based on trust. Trust exists because the leaders of that society are seen to be acting in the best interest of that society.
This is only possible in an ecology of integrity. Integrity comes from the values that society holds up. Historically it was the Role of the Faith / Religious Communities to infuse society with these values. Unfortunately our religious leaders became enamored with power thus failing their primary responsibility to their flocks.
Moving forward requires that all of us embrace a new values system. I would suggest we look to the successful societies of the past and learn from them the values that worked, and adopt those values.
Great article!