I saw him coming up behind me. I wasn’t really worried because I was well below the speed limit, all my lights were working, I wasn’t drinking and I wasn’t on my cell phone. He had a white helmet, a black uniform and a distinctive motorcycle. It was obvious that everyone saw the cop coming up behind us. As he roared past he looked the part but I noticed something: His motorcycle did not have blue lights on the back.
I was out of state. I don’t know the rules in other places. In the People’s Republik of Kalifornia the police motorcycles have blue lights on the back so you can identify them. I thought that was universal. Maybe not. Was he a policeman, an imposter or a wannabe?
For me at that time it did not matter. At another time it might.
Think of the people you come into on a daily basis. How many of them see themselves in a role? Some think of themselves as caring and sensitive. They have the expressions and phrases to prove it.
Think of the people that have influence. We listen to campaign speeches. We listen to experts in education and science. Are they for real or are they just tooting their own horns? They have certificates on the wall and offices that show they are important.
Think of yourself. What kind of facades do you have in your own life? Do you try to fool people into thinking you are what you are not? Do you drive a car you can’t really afford? Do you wear design labels to impress? Are you a name dropper?
This morning I had a conversation with a man about the need for character education in our schools. I told him that character education for the students needed to start at the top, the superintendent of schools. It needed to then move to school administrators and teachers. I can’t really teach someone to play the piano if I can’t play the piano. I may explain it and teach the theory but until they see it done, time is wasted.
Society has problems. They will not be solved unless we start with ourselves.
homo unius libri
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