And, the
importance of saving face...
Near the end of the recent campaign season, I
wrote Murat regarding the forthcoming election, seeking the comfort of his “Science
of Universal Awe” brand of wisdom in the midst of the chaos. Only the Dali Lama
might have matched, for me, what I knew he might offer. Believing that Murat,
removed from the U.S.A. as he is in British Columbia, carries a brand of wisdom
in his being, generally, found only in native elders such as he, I hoped he might
provide an enhanced perspective on these political shenanigans, as well as
solace during this pressing time.
Wishing
for his timely reply, I would, of course, pass on the treasure.
Sure enough, reliably, I was
gifted with an answer to my request. Before too long a message from Murat was sent
through his assistant, Sharron Allen. The essence of his comment follows –
“..in relation to the upcoming US elections….
regrettably, wisdom is far away from the US.”
Now election
day has come and gone and these words ring ever more true, with the victors of
the race taking more than their share of the spoils, as far as I can see;
humiliation of the defeated heaped on loss.
From the wisdom of elders, I pass this on: native leaders
know that though someone might, in the final analysis, be discovered to have
been at fault in a situation (the GOP, recently, being a glaring example), resolutions must always conclude with face saving for
the guilty! No matter how
challenging this goal might be.
As I/we
(at New Horizons) have learned through Murat and the teachings he has brought
forth from his native culture, the conclusion of a conflict between parties must
result in a unifying that brings factions back into grace with one another. Life in such a context, thus, moves forward
with the necessary business and the day-to-day life of the people, while dispelling
animosities. This is a good thing and an essential in breeding the kind of
nation the United States aspires to be.
Unfortunately,
as Murat suggested, even before we knew who would become our next president,
our country does not have this kind of mature wisdom in its leaders, as
evidenced by Barack Obama, in my estimation, growing himself up, now, from
wishy washy leadership to a kind of kick the loser in the gut while he’s down
posturing.
Last
night, having dinner and a politically-infused discussion with a friend, I kept coming back to a sense of Obama, not necessarily
being wrong in his efforts to command (i.e. demand) respect for his esteemed
position as our president, as he is now being challenged to do over our pending
debt cliff crisis, but somehow not being right either. My friend, however,
could not see the point I was trying to make on this. And, I, unable, at the
time, to put my finger on the snag I perceived, was at a loss as to how to further
explain myself.
Now,
as is often the case, the clarity comes to me, after the fact; Mr. Obama, I
believe, is heading us right onto a collision course with this pending,
critical financial cliff situation; not because he is, particularly, wrong, but
because he is not quite right enough either.
Point
being; if you play a win-lose game as Obama is presently doing, so far, in not handling
himself in a mature and competent leadership manner so as to best encourage a win-win
outcome; making sure all parties come through with no loss of face, disaster usually looms ahead.
So, I
ask, please, Mr. Obama, get off of your
bullying righteousness and show us what a true deserving of the Nobel Peace
Prize means; mastery in unifying your constituents and modeling how effective
leaders head the way to a win-win outcome. You don’t even look appealing when
you carry yourself the manner in which you are currently presenting yourself.
Is this truly the best you can do? Gathering a gang in the playground from the others who are also feeling downtrodden, hoping that, by uniting, you'll topple those who have been beating up on you?
Is this most elegant solution you can offer us? Maybe so. I am not sure that I would do better. But still one might hope.
Your modeling exceptional leadership during this crucial time of crisis is one of the most important contributions your constituents are asking of you
at this crucial time; being a leader we can all look up to with respect and
pride in your dignity. I do hope you will rise to the occasion and not let us
down.
Awe = a win, win game, not win-lose!
