Politics & War -- Then & Now

I came across an interesting (and apparently infamous) quote which compels me to revisit my feelings on our country's current foreign policies. The quote is by Hitler's well-known right-hand man, Hermann Goering and is from 'Nuremburg Diary' (Farrar, Straus & Co. 1947).

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"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."

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I draw no conclusions from the similarities between Goering's assesment and the current Pres. Bush's policies. But those similarities are chilling, aren't they? Excuse me while I go write my elected representatives...

Staying Motivated & Inspired

I've mentioned it before, that life on the road can get stressfull and skew one's sense of perspective in strange ways. The fact is that we ALL experience this in our lives, whether we're on the road or not. Maybe I've become more acutely aware of this in my own life because of the free time I can think it over. For me, travelling so much creates challenges to keep myself motivated to eat properly, pursue new goals (both personal and professional), and to get inspired to be creative in my life and in my work. In the past I've recommended Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Anthony Robbins and Mark Victor Hansen. Today I'd like to add to that list a gentleman considered to be the figurative 'father' to them all: Zig Ziglar. Get Inspired to BE, DO, and HAVE! (Check out Zig's book 'Over The Top') p.s. - I am NOT a paid endorser --- just a fan.

Back in the Saddle...

In the aftermath of the recent Tsunami disaster, I found it difficult to write anything worthwhile. At every turn there were articles about the disaster and how to help in the ensuing relief effort. Any writing I had to contribute seemed pointless. After all, the reason I write this blog is to share my experiences, provoke critical thought on a particular subject, or to offer something entertaining. At the time, I reasoned those goals were trivial. Later, it occurred to me that many disasters and injustices are unleashed on mankind regularly. And, while very few are on the scale of the tsunamis, life continues in spite of the death and destruction caused. The around-the-clock news coverage tends to sensationalize every minor news even , making the major events all the more dramatic (and traumatic, too). Now that I have recalled this pattern, it has again become easier to write. Earlier today, while listening to an audio recording of the famous self-improvement guru, Zig Ziglar, I was reminded of a truth; That we effect change in the world one deed at a time. Rather than be paralyzed by the sheer number or size of the disasters, we ought to concentrate on how our own actions may help the cause, no matter how insignificant those actions seem. They certainly aren't insignificant to those who benefit from our help.