Winston Churchill once remarked that “good and great are seldom in the same man,” and given the popularity of the recent campaign slogan – Make America Great Again – it might be prudent to question whether that observation also applies to nations. After all, history has bestowed the title “great” on numerous countries and empires over the centuries, but that accolade was largely due to grand military conquests, longevity, vastness of land holdings and the number of subjects under thumb, not on the innate goodness of its people, its ideals or its deeds. That is why scrapping a national drive for greatness in favor of seeking simple goodness seems like a worthier cause. At the end of the day goodness, not greatness, is the better virtue.
On its surface the pursuit of greatness is an understandable endeavor. Who doesn’t want to be number one, with all the accolades that accompany such a lofty position? But here’s the thing - greatness without goodness is like a trophy collecting dust on a bookshelf. You can look at it and wax nostalgically over glory days long passed, but futures aren't built on trophies. That's because trophies dont last. Ask any archeologist what things withstand the test of time, and he or she will tell you it’s the simple things that last – molded stones, pots, pans, eating utensils and tools. Occasionally great artifacts are unearthed, but do your history and you will find that those too were created mostly by commoners seeking nothing more than having a bit of goodness in their lives. The great people got the credit. The good folks did the work.
Still, you can’t argue with the notion that seeking greatness offers a measure of satisfaction that seems to quench a person’s thirst for power and control over events and situations that are largely beyond their reach. It’s part of the human condition and of growing up. I remember with great fondness when my youngest daughter was three-years old and took on the mantle of a superhero, who along with her sidekick “Super Shadow” (her stuffed puppy) rescued many a victim in distress with the assistance of a bright red cape and a felt Mickey Mouse cap from Disneyland. She wore her cape and cap everywhere – to church, the grocery store and even daycare – and no amount of pleading or cajoling could convince her otherwise. My daughter is now a grown-up young woman. Her childhood desires for superhuman status have given way to mature aspirations to do something meaningful with her life. She recognizes, and wisely so, that a cape and super powers are no longer necessary to leave a positive mark on the world. All it takes is the desire to do good and the willingness to put forth the effort. It would be nice if more Americans felt that way.
Maybe my horizons are not that broad, but as it turns out I don’t know a single great person in this world. What I do know are hundreds of good and decent folks with kindness and empathy in their hearts, who are not callously indifferent toward the suffering of others and are genuinely committed to bettering the lives of everyone they meet. These good and decent folks are not interested in greatness or the accolades that accompany being the person or nation on top. They are not a band of Silas Marner enthusiasts, collecting treasure as an empty measure of self-worth. Rather, they are people who make the conscious daily choice to open their hearts, and yes even their wallets, to the possibility of bettering the lives of all humanity. Good folks do not revel in the hollow notion of supremacy. They understand that the difference between good fortune and calamity is often the product of forces and circumstances beyond their control, and but for the grace of God go they.
Does goodness involve a measure of naiveté? I think it does. Why else would our Christian messiah caution that only those with the heart of a child would attain salvation? And why is it that only the meek and the mild shall inherit the earth? Isn’t there a special spot in Heaven reserved for a nation that can kick butt and destroy humanity three times over in the space of an hour? Doesn’t possessing a majority of all the wealth on earth count for something? A lot of people think so, but I’m not one of them.
There is no goodness in denying food to the hungry or access to medical care to the sick as the powers-that-be in Washington are preparing to do. Building walls and degrading women and killing enemies are not paths to goodness, despite what politicians might say, and if that’s what it takes to achieve national greatness, don’t expect my support. I’d rather be good than great.
Well said!
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