2006-03-12
role models
Listened to Michael J. Fox as he was interviewed on Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio tonight and I couldn't help but contrast this with the fraud trials against ENRON founders Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay going on right now.
How's that? you ask? Well, maybe the link is indicative of my own thinking process, but it's also comparing how differently people with immense wealth respond to things in life.
In Michael Fox's situation, he has, since the end of the 20th century, directed time, energy and money into seeking solutions for an ostensibly incurable disease. Contrasting this with the Lay/Skilling/Fastow bunch and how they have alloted their wealth. Even if they are determined innocent of fraud [I doubt this] that they personally walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars while never even blinking about putting some of that gained toward humanitarian causes speaks volumes about their values. In short, the utter lack of sense of responsibility to the larger community wherein they reside [the USA at the very least] exhibited suggests strongly they are guilty of callousness and greed if not actual fraud.
Now, I realize that ~ with Mr. Lay, at least, there may be some nominal connection to a "Christian" denomination [he has been observed by the media coming in and out of church] ~ there is no obligation for these characters to divulge their habits regarding charitable giving, but even Bill and Melinda Gates have recognized this kind of obligation.
My bets are on Mr. Fox. His selflessness provides a role model for others. Lay and Skilling would be wise to heed it. ¶ 23:10
How's that? you ask? Well, maybe the link is indicative of my own thinking process, but it's also comparing how differently people with immense wealth respond to things in life.
In Michael Fox's situation, he has, since the end of the 20th century, directed time, energy and money into seeking solutions for an ostensibly incurable disease. Contrasting this with the Lay/Skilling/Fastow bunch and how they have alloted their wealth. Even if they are determined innocent of fraud [I doubt this] that they personally walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars while never even blinking about putting some of that gained toward humanitarian causes speaks volumes about their values. In short, the utter lack of sense of responsibility to the larger community wherein they reside [the USA at the very least] exhibited suggests strongly they are guilty of callousness and greed if not actual fraud.
Now, I realize that ~ with Mr. Lay, at least, there may be some nominal connection to a "Christian" denomination [he has been observed by the media coming in and out of church] ~ there is no obligation for these characters to divulge their habits regarding charitable giving, but even Bill and Melinda Gates have recognized this kind of obligation.
My bets are on Mr. Fox. His selflessness provides a role model for others. Lay and Skilling would be wise to heed it. ¶ 23:10
