The Lies We're Sold
By Les Mottosky
I recently dealt with an infection. It could have been dangerous had it progressed. Not to say it wasn’t serious — very serious, even — because it occurred above-the-neck.
I believe it changed my brain. Or my thinking. It for sure created new found clarity. I’m on the other side of it now and I’m seeing life — my life — differently. Not clearly, but clearer.
So I’ve made a decision. What gets written about here will be changing. This is a business news publication, and I’ve always written to the broadest definition of 'business'. Which is to say, I usually didn’t hone in on CEOs or entrepreneurs or quantitative data of commerce, but the qualitative aspects. I focused on perspective, and most often, the value and necessity of questioning our own to get the results we want.
These articles have been less about ‘The News’, and more about knowledge. Specifically, self-knowledge. Instead of answering “What’s new?” (the question that originally inspired what we’ve come to know as “The News”) I attempt to inspire the question “How are you new?”
Finding answers to that question, means discovering paths of newness. Leading to those are the steps of observing, reading, listening, dialoguing and pondering.
A close friend of mine is deeply religious. He carries himself with this ease or clarity or foundation... something. He also gets rattled — like the rest of us — but not much and not for long. I love listening to him. I don't relate to much, but I learn a lot. About him. About me. About perspective. And about perspectives.
Quick side-bar: from a political stand-point, I exist firmly outside of “left and right”, “liberal and conservative” and whatever other limiting, dualistic identity people trap themselves in.
In my world, politics rhymes with hypocrites. This world-view comes with a price.
One of our conversations recently produced an insight into my apolitical-ness of the past 25 years. More than politically homeless, I’ve come to see I might be societally homeless too. I don’t feel like I belong to whatever cultural influence has arisen around me.
I view politics, government, law and corporate news (the propagandizing arm for many modern governments) through the human lens of ‘freedom and control.’
I was forced to step out of the broken system after years of watching politicians pass laws that increase governmental control over the public, while they commit (sometimes blatant, indisputable and atrocious) crimes, then not only dodge accountability — but have airports, libraries and highways named in their “honour”. While they pile-on debt and further burden the people they serve with more and/or higher taxation.
This quagmire never made sense to my very simple mind. (We as constituents hold ultimate responsibility for this; prioritizing lifestyle comforts over actionable outrage.)
Society is said to operate on the premise, “Nobody is above the law.” This occurs to me as fiction. There are people above the law; those who create them. Politicians and — increasingly — the powerful people who fund their rise to office.
Laws seem only to apply to voters. The people they vote for can — far too often — do what they want. (Usually with the advice and aid of lawyers and judges.)
We’re also told that we're protected by democracy. More fiction. With a moderate level of discernment, it's evident no matter who's in power, conditions worsen. Promises are made on the campaign trail and forgotten before the winner is sworn in. In addition to a democracy, we also live in a kakistocracy that’s rapidly transforming into a technocracy.
‘Kakistocracy’ and ‘technocracy’ are terms the modern journalist can’t define —or maybe even spell — so we won’t hear about them in the news. Or anywhere else. And yet, this is the world we’re increasingly living in. This is – in my estimation – undeniable.
Are there sincere politicians? For sure. Can they thrive in a broken system? No. They really can't.
I'll never claim to know what goes on in the bowels of governments. But I think we all have the sense – a strong one – it's not what we're told. Likely not even close to it.
So, as mentioned, my response to all of this new found clarity is a shift in what and how the topics here will be covered. My quarter-century stance of 'Not my monkeys, not my circus', is over.
The world — specifically business — is in dire need of more of what makes humans special and valuable. As the brilliant Set Godin wrote "The purpose of our culture is not to enable capitalism, even capitalism that pays your bills. The purpose of capitalism is to build our culture."
It's time to build.
And so, Monday, Wednesday & Friday will address critical thinking, curiosity and wisdom (respectively), while Saturday or Sunday will feature an article that highlights — lessons by, from or of — nature. And from time-to-time I may share a pertinent business learning from the Education Transformation Start-up I'm helping to create.
This is a way – my way – to serve the future I want all of us to live in. The one we deserve.
I’ve been infected.
And I intend to spread it.
TAGS: #The Lies We're Sold
Les Mottosky
Adaptation Strategist // I help organizations turn creativity into their competitive advantage by aligning leadership, culture and strategy to unlock adaptive innovations.
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