Everyone lied to everyone. Decisionmakers circled the wagons again (in reference to 9/11) to protect their “establishment” instead of placing the true concern for others before their own interests. 2020 Just amped up society’s already brutal emotional climate that was based on fear and anger. We know that the guise of “protecting the public from Covid” was rooted in disdain for political opposition. And this “concern” for others was taken advantage of by many for financial gain. Up and down the business and political sectors, individuals as well as corporations saw this as opportunity and destroyed the lives of many in the process. Vulnerable people to this disease were taken advantage of and others lost livelihoods when we just didn’t have (or want to acknowledge) the facts of science.
My biggest concern throughout 2020 was the sheer volume of lying that took place so much that many in society began to “buy the lie.” That’s how it works. You repeat a lie often enough that you and those who you surround yourself with will believe the lie to be true. Much of this deception has incubated due to the polarizing political and societal environment which has become entrenched in our “new choice of national identity.” (this is interesting as this is what happens in a socialistic economic sense when the “rich/poor” gap develops and the middle class begins to disappear – we can now see what happens when a society polarizes so much to where the “middle/moderates” begin to disappear).
Our way of thinking has become challenged. On one side, we say we want to develop critical thinkers in our educational system. Yet, the growing reality among adults points to a much different reality. We used to value honesty and hate hypocrisy. Now, “acceptance” of others comes only when they agree with your perspective – sorry folks, but that is a form of hypocrisy.
So, if 2020 was the year of Deception, what lies ahead? A wise man once taught me that in listening and counseling others, you cannot expect to undo harm that has developed over years to be solved or reconciled in less than the time it took to create. Therein lies a huge problem. We live in a “microwave” society where we want resolution quickly. If tomorrow’s goals were not done yesterday, that is too long for me to wait. Politics especially loves to “move the pendulum” of policy way too quickly and way too fast; always has and most likely always will. But true change/recovery takes time. The main problem is that people don’t want to wait. So, leaders face a dilemma. To create true change/recovery a REAL Leader must involve those he/she wishes to move in a direction and do so in a manner that the impatient people (and let’s not forget those power decision-makers) can agree to, at least in some more mature, patient and inclusive way.
True, this is optimistic and yet perhaps too unrealistic in our society’s decision-making process today. Those few who “make decisions for the rest of us” are not patient and in most cases do not want you to be a part of the process, which slows things down. So, what is the answer? To be honest, I’m not sure if there is one great answer. But, I do believe there is hope. And the hope lies in a healing and holistic approach of change that reestablishes the strengths of our country; those strengths that got us to our greatness in this world. Yes, mistakes have been and always will be made along the way. But we must learn from these mistakes, care more for others than we do about ourselves, and take the time needed to move forward the right way.
A place to start lies with the word “TRANSPARENCY.” Yes, to take an honest look at oneself and one’s place in this world and not fear allowing others to see the TRUE YOU. This reminds me of the addict that cannot move forward until he/she admits that he/she has a problem. Can this happen? Yes. Will this happen? ONLY if “leadership” models this type of honesty, humility, self-confidence and true desire to be better. Good luck 2021.
2021 – Unfortunately I feel that 2021 will be the year of “FakeOver,” not a “MakeOver” of “unity”. I believe that the lies will not only continue but intensify. The key to avoiding this and truly moving forward in a healthy way will be the need for TRUE TRANSPARENCY.
WARNING! Coming in 2021 will be a “movement” to promote the now widely accepted deception from the past few years as a “new truth.” A large portion of society is now ready to receive the lie as truth.