May I ask you to stop annoying me with your boring AIG or the next Bear Sterns kind of news? Haven’t you had enough talking about this every second of the day forever… whenever, wherever, using your power to brainwash instead of inform? Mrs. Media, Americans are smarter than you think. This is a countryof hope, where creativity and happy endings have been the dominant theme of its history. The whole world knows Americans are positive and optimistic people.
You seem to underestimate who your audience really is… and by the way, have you ever checked if you actually have an audience? Mrs. Media, never before in your existence have you and your peers performed such a cacophony of darkness and ignorance. Taking everything at face value does not serve you very well. What is really behind all of this, Mrs. Media? Do you really care? Or is it too much fun feeling you have the power to determine the color of the day and how Americans think. Better, how you can make Americans think.
Have you asked the entrepreneurs and visionaries in corporate America what they really think about the economy or the potentials of their country, or about their knowledge about handling crises or strategizing for drastic changes?
I will always remember the story of the boss who realizes his direct reports have always cheated and lied, creating the illusion that all is well, getting their bonuses on the basis of re-arranged, even officially-audited, annual reports, but very distant from the truth. So he closes shop, yes, he drops the ball and files for bankruptcy. The following day, he creates a new corporation and sends a memo to everyone, proposing new jobs contingent on integrity and competence at much lower salaries, with no bonuses for at least three years, and requesting their sincere introspection and deep apologies.
In this world, everything goes through cycles. Truth pops up no matter what, and the realities reveal themselves, sometimes too late, but loud and clear, declaring a message for everyone to get.
There are thousands of AIGs out there, thousands of Bear Sterns and of mini-Madoff’s, and lessons to be learned, once and for all. Lessons about integrity and transparency (that reminds me of a political line somewhere, I wonder who said that …), clarity of communication, horizontal management structure, collegial decision making, credit sharing, appreciation, humbleness, shared vision, caring for others, giving back to society, and the list goes on.
There are lessons, too, about living according to the level of our true means and getting back to earth from the high- level mythology in the corporate world and among the large consumer community. Changes are not initiated or controlled by the government but by responsible individuals. A country like America, designed for freedom values, empowering individual responsibility and creativity, opens up large, infinite worlds of opportunities to everyone – where each one can blossom and contribute, be productive and positive.
Get to work, Mrs. Media, and come on, change your tune, won’t you?! You’re stuck in the wrong key, playing a dirge. We need melodies and dances. The day will come when we’ll be all dancing and laughing, remembering the pictures you painted here, polluting the atmosphere, hoping to create fear and skepticism in every single brain . This will be soon over, and then you will look at yourself in the mirror, ashamed and shocked to see how much we did not pay attention to you, and how happy we are, deep in our hearts, that we have faith.
Posted by apolitzer
Posted by apolitzer
Posted by apolitzer 

