"It is the ego that stands rigidly against influences from the outside, and it is this “ego rigidity” that makes it impossible for us to accept everything that confronts us." (Lee)
We are the ones that have allowed the building of Drumpfesque behemoths. The oligarchies. The monarchies. The hierarchies of power that press our faces to the pavement and smile. The culture of appeasement and harassment that have become unnaturally second-nature to the human creature.
We enabled this as cute quirks of evolving culture. I despised "The Apprentice" as an ego-stroke for Donald Trump, the rock star with a bad tan and chia-hair.
We made the imperfect "rock star" the persona to aspire to. Even in marketing, I dread when I'm called that, because the historical rock stars were mostly harassers first --- a la Motley Crue with "Girls Girls Girls" --- and gentlepersons second. Spinal Tap drips with sexual harassment, reflective of a time where all voices were not amplified equally. There was a time where power and the abuse of it got a pass.
This is a different time, when all crimes and imperfections are easily and eventually revealed. Big ticket politicians, comedians and movie stars are in the spotlight now; rock stars could be next.
These revelations destroy careers and legacies if they're not reckoned with appropriately (Spacey, Moore), but could lead to the creation of better humans and advocates for equality and integrity with an honest, humble approach (Louis C.K., Franken).
Bottom line: be a humble human, learn from (and try not to repeat) your mistakes and fully own up to your flaws.
In this digital present, we are each an email, photo or soundbyte away from our undoing.
Or an unethical assault by our elected officials.
#xoterica