Listening to Ron Paul is kind of like reading a history textbook, which I realize could make him sound boring or antiquated, but, believe me, this one's not.
It's refreshing, like hearing history re-told for our current context. When I hear Dr. Paul speak, suddenly the ideas our American forefathers believed in seem to make sense again. Like, for example, the Constitution was actually a really good idea, and very well written. And while we're on it, why haven't we heard much about it in the past 70 years?
If you'd like to catch the fire about why Ron Paul is really an incredible presidential candidate, check out this video:
Something I learned about Ron Paul from this video: he loves roundabouts.
There are cities that have intentionally replaced stop lights with roundabouts. The idea is that with stoplights, people become dependent on something else (e.g. the stoplight) to tell them when it's safe to go or when they need to stop. This can be good, but unfortunately, stoplights also allow them to be much less careful, considerate, or even conscious of what the heck they're doing.
By installing roundabouts, the city takes the power from the stoplight and puts it back in the hands of the people. Now, the onus is on each individual to pay attention to what they're doing. In a roundabout, people need to look around, constantly be courteous, and pay attention to the other drivers.
It's probably time we start paying attention again.
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Today my friend and coworker Kevin said that he knows that we (the "staff" of Journey, where I work) all want to help "change lives."
But I'm not sure I do.
For me, to "change lives" means to develop, to bring about incremental growth, to help someone off drugs, or to stop drinking, or to be nicer to their wife, or to otherwise clean up their life. And while I recognize the obvious value and necessity of all of those things, his statement helped me realize that I am something else.
I am more about maximizing the potential of humanity. I instigate ideas, catalyze thought and action. I am a leadership firestarter, igniting flames of passion in others so they can go out and use their lives to change the world.
Maybe it's semantics, a small distinction. But for me, it was a light bulb.
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