Editor’s note: Susan Marshall wrote a Biz Blog earlier this week about the Occupy Wall Street protest movement. Today’s blog is a follow-up response to the comments generated by the first blog.
My blog earlier this week sparked additional, heated, commentary. As many pointed out with great clarity, the US has serious, deep-seated problems. No one disputes this. How we go about resolving these problems is the question—and the fight—at hand. Continuing the invective that appears to have become the norm when considering differences is a certain avenue to ruin.
Without regard for political affiliation, some of the activities of Occupy Wall Street protestors as reported in news accounts are utterly shameful. There is no justification for drug and alcohol abuse or sexual exploitation no matter the corruption of any political or economic system.
My larger question is what each of us individually and all of us collectively must do differently? We are where we are today due to choices, policies, elections, excuses, dirty dealing, distractions, you name it. Do we—you, me, us, them—now have the ability and the willingness to collect our thoughts, hold our tongues, discipline our actions, and turn the best of our intellect and energy toward resolving our problems? Forget about what the next guy did or didn’t do—what will you do?
Incidentally, none of this is meant as a lecture, rather as an invitation and a challenge to be better.
Susan Marshall is a consultant and founder of Executive Advisor LLC in Oconomowoc. She also is the author of "How to Grow a Backbone." For additional information, visit www.executiveadvisorllc.com. Marshall also will lead a workshop at the BizTimes Get Smarter Conference on Oct. 20. To register, visit www.biztimes.com/smart.
