As the story goes, The Times once sent out an inquiry to
famous authors asking the question “What’s wrong with the world today?”
to which author G.K. Chesterton replied:
“Dear Sir,
I am.
Yours, G.K. Chesterton.”
Although there is no proof of this since neither letter has been
found, The American Chesterton Society comments, “This story has been
repeated so often about Chesterton that we suspect it is true.”
Regardless of its authenticity, the sentiment is right on, and pretty
much captures the most humble, simple answer to a complicated question
and complicated world. I also think it captures, in essence, the right
attitude by which we attack social problems that appear insurmountable
and firmly rooted in systems that will not change overnight. The only
thing you can do is accept responsibility for any and every way you have
ever said something, done something or failed to do something about a
certain problem, and begin the process of change by changing yourself.
Take racism, for instance. None of us is going to be able to stop
racism, but we can take responsibility for any way we have contributed
to it, whether by sins of commission or omission, and we can dedicate
ourselves to changing our attitudes and living in an open and dignified
way, giving honor to all races, all religions (and none) and all ethnic
groups — in other words, all human beings. Judgment stops here; and
change starts here.
This isn’t to say we stop the process of identifying and eradicating
the causes of the many systemic problems facing our society and nation —
to be sure, this is a large part of the purpose of education (research)
and government — but it is a way of stopping personal finger-pointing
and prideful aloofness. Any problem we are trying to address must begin
with an admission of our own contribution to it. We are all guilty of
sin; we have all done something to contribute to the mess the world is
in, even if this means only that we have done nothing to change it.
John Fischer
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