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In the 1960′s, then President Lyndon Johnson created a set of social programs that he dubbed “The Great Society.” Nearly 50 years later, the results of those social programs are dubious at best. You see the reason for failure in programs like those proposed by President Johnson is that they made people more dependent on government and less innovative and entrepreneurial. People became (and in many cases stayed) wards of the state rather than developing their own skills to meet their needs in life and society.
I have a vision of the great society just as President Johnson did. My vision differs though. Primarily because my vision unleashes the creativity, compassion, and love for community in every person. My vision builds the esteem of the citizenry by allowing them to try AND fail, to learn from their mistakes and then to try again. My vision is shaped by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King as he spoke about being know by the content of one’s character rather than the color of your skin.
The great society can indeed come to fruition in our world when we look at the struggles we face as challenges to be better people, to live better lives, and to help others reach their greatest potential. It will require us to develop a “three-fold” bottom line (stay tuned for the definition in a later post) for our businesses rather than just the current “get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the lid” approach.
Do you want to help create the great society envisioned by people around the world for thousands of years? What do you think it will take? How can we start today?
