It's been a morning of critical thinking and criticism too. I criticized a lot of leaders today as I reflected on last night's debate and pandemic responses. Whenever I criticize others, I think about my own responsibility and inadequacies. No one is perfect, yet we do have to criticize ourselves and others when there is clear room for positive change and development.
Trump is a good example of what not to do and who not to be. Trump displays his character flaws regularly and we can learn from those flaws, and make better choices. Poor choices/actions that Trump exemplifies include the following:
- regular dishonesty and lies
- lots of generalized statements rather than specific facts
- avoidance of hard work, complex problem solving
- unwillingness to read, study, consult the experts
- surrounding himself with crooks, criminals, cheaters and people with poor character
- unwillingness to get to know the people and places he's in charge of
- lack of broad experiences--he stays fairly close to home and when he travels he rarely ventures out
- stuck in old White privilege mindsets w/little effort to modernize his outlook via reading, experiences, discussions
- unwillingness to engage in civil discourse and debate
- little will to learn about the world around him, the issues that matter, and the opportunities that exist.
- lack of self-reflection and will to remedy struggles/challenges from early life chapters
We can all learn about who to be by Trump's who-not-to-be ways. And like all of us, Trump is not all bad--no one is all bad. Some attributes I value in him is that he clearly cares for some of his family members, he has accepted some groups/people who have traditionally been ostracized by others, he resisted alcohol which has made him physically stronger, and he does persevere (yet I wish he'd direct that perseverance in other directions).
So while I criticize others including Trump, I also have a number of areas in my own life to work at and shore up--like all, I'm not perfect and there's a lot of work to do. Onward.