Daily Mood Quotes
Day 183 – November 3, 2011
“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”
~Spencer Johnson
Integrity is defined as, adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character, honest. And, honesty is defined as, the quality of fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness. Truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness, freedom from deceit or fraud. (thank you Dictionary.com). So, if we know what they mean, then why do we have so much difficulty in understanding them.?
Over the past several months, I have used the mute button on my remote control to silence the political ads on television, and when they come on the radio, I turn it off. I don't know about you, but as a voter, I am sick and tired of the negative, pointing fingers, he said, she said, they said...I say, “knock it off, I've heard enough.” Republican, Democrat, Liberal, Tea Party, really as the song by Billy Joel goes, “we didn't start the fire, it was always burning, since the world's been turning, we didn't start the fire, no we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it.” Now we're just sick of being burned by people who can apparently do nothing but point fingers, find fault and distract us from the truth that none of them are really worthy of our votes. Personally, I wish they would put their fingers in a light socket, it may shock back to common sense. You never know...
So, in all the political crap, where is the truth? Hidden by political advisers and PR firms, who would sell their bosses out for a nickel and a shot at an interview on 60 Minutes. And also, where pray tell is the most remote relevance to what they should be focusing on? The needs of the people should be on all the agenda's of those running for office. Somehow, somewhere the “vote for me, because the other person is worse” has become acceptable practice. To quote an old friend from Long Island, “What, Are you kidding me!! It's like dealing with a group of elementary school children on a kindergarten playground, trying to be the most popular student. Getting attention and gaining popularity through tattle-tailing? Obviously, we missed those lessons about growing up and taking responsibility for our actions. It just makes me sick to see our political system, once the highest expression of human aspiration, dragged into the gutters by these losers. “We the people” let this happen and “we the people” will need to make a few adjustments to what we pay attention to. That is if we can pry ourselves away form reality shows, video games and online auctions long enough to see what we have let happen.
Here's where the honesty and integrity part comes in, let's be honest with ourselves; we as a nation only pay attention to the bad crap and not to the important issues, unless we're the ones who are suffering. “Painful, the truth is.” (Thanks Yoda). Personally, I'd say “Vote for none of the Above!” just as Monty Brewster, (played by Richard Pryor) said in Brewster's Millions, but that would let the “biggest loser” win without a fight. And so even though we disapprove, we let it slide and those of us who aren't buried in their Wii tennis, wobble to the poles and punch the button for the name they recognize most. Ouch, I've even done that once - a very long time ago and I apologize to all of America for that. Its insanity and we perpetuate and enable it by our apathy. Thomas Jefferson said, “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” So lets wise up and be honest about that fact that we let ourselves get into this situation by our own collective hand. We have to get ourselves out by participating a little in our own governmental process (remember grade school civics class?). In the movie The American President, Lewis Rothschild (played by Michael J. Fox) said “...And in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it's our responsibility!” By the way that's the last thing they really want. As Michael Douglas who played President Andrew Shepard in the same movie noted, “And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, (insert candidate here) is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.” Sadly, that theatrical bit of monologue is painfully true. Just watch what happens over the next 12 months. We are in for an interesting year...more thoughts on honesty, truth and integrity tomorrow.
How will you be honest today?
Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote
Thank you for reading.
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