Who is there to follow?

Lead by example, a philosophy taught to many generations - watch your elders, for they know your pains and can help you. These are traditions that run deep in a variety of cultures, but is slowing seeping out of American culture.

Earlier this month, I spent the weekend among friends. As most of them are in academia full time, we discussed the decreasing rate of new professor hires. One lady in the group has been turned down from positions which she is more than qualified for, so that universities can hire the Ph.D. professors that were let go because of the economic downturn. As a result, many smaller colleges and universities are hiring only people who have been teaching for a while with PhDs. 

A further example of this can be seen in age discrimination. I have heard several stories where applicants have had to die their hair in order to appear younger and therefore a valid candidate for a position, in which they are clearly the best choice - except for the age limitation put on by current day society or by the company to which they are applying. One particular individual has since let their hair return back to its natural color and has experienced discrimination at work because of age. But what is truly bizarre is the previously mentioned individual is frequently contacted by his boss, a man in his late 20s / early 30s to answer questions - because the young boss is not prepared for his position.

Here is my question - If companies only hire young, fresh out of school employees and over qualified individuals, who will leave the company as soon as something better opens up - who will lead the examples for employees trying to learn and expand their knowledge?

An interesting point was brought to my attention this past weekend, that humility is no longer frequently found today, I made an immediate link that this is because young employees lack a leader, a mentor and someone to listen when they admit they have a question or are in need of help.

If companies continue to hire to over qualified and the too young employees, the competitive culture found in business environments will manifest itself into our everyday culture. There will no longer be people to mentor young employees, but instead society will create an even more 'dog eat dog' world, which ultimately could lead to a larger gap between high class and lower class members.

We all just want change

After a month of taking off from writing for my blog, a decision which left me searching for my creative juices, I was talking to a friend of mine about what my next blog should be about. Jokingly, my very modest friend said, “me.” Which was quickly followed by my questioning if the true subject should be her desire to change the world. It is at this point that she pointed out that change is everyone’s goal.

I told that anecdote for a reason, which I hope will be relieved later. Earlier today, I came across a Huffington Post article, which stated Barbara Bush’s very blunt opinion of American politics. During her recent visit to Southern Methodist University, the Former First Lady Bush said: "I hate the fact that people think 'compromise' is a dirty word."

In many ways she is right and it is that simple. Politics today are as messy, hurtful and broken as they are because politicians are trying to see our very colorful world in black and white, wrong or right - and it’s just not that simple.

There is no absolute right or absolute wrong, but instead one  should vote for which candidate most fits the dream and the goals you see for America. Politics got complicated way too fast, it is no longer about making changing or creating change.

Instead it has evolved into being the change. Are we that egotistical of a society? That only one person can create change?  Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

I still believe, probably naively, that everyone person who get into politics does it in hopes of creating change, even if that means with the assistance of others. So at what point does it become - Only I can change the world.

Once politics regresses into “we can change the world,” then and only then can change truly come and that dreadful would “we” can only come with the use of the bad word “compromise.”