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A New Year's Resolution Twist

01/08/03

The calendar has turned yet again, and well-intentioned New Year's resolutions abound.

Most proclamations of change are as prosaic as they are predictable. For example, I drink two cups of coffee each morning and a half-dozen glasses of ice tea each day, rise at 6:00 and stagger into bed about midnight, and my body, once muscled and lean, is showing the 40+ years of excessive road wear I have inflicted upon it. If you looked at that sad recipe you would say, "Ted, your resolutions should be to cut down on caffeine, get more sleep, and start exercising!"

And you would be right. At least partially.

I am fortunate enough to teach law and business classes at the University of Phoenix. My current Thursday evening course is Organizational Ethics, a topic I find extremely satisfying and immensely challenging to teach well. We spend the first quarter-hour discussing a leading issue of the day. Politics, business, and history are the favorite themes, and I do my best to put a moral or ethical twist on the subject. The animated discussions and debates that ensue are always deep and thoughtful.

Last week, just two days after we bid farewell to 2002, a group of students were conversing about their resolutions for the new year. "This year," one of them announced, "instead of the exercising more and spending less routine, I plan to be better informed." Being a teacher, my ears naturally stood at attention.

"What do you mean?" asked one of her classmates. Her answer made me proud.

"There is so much happening in the world today, both in business and politically," she said, her hands raised and waving to make her point, "that I think I need to read more so I know what is going on."

"Is that the ‘leaf and the tree' speaking?" I interjected (hopefully).

"Yes," she nodded back with no little vigor. "That really got me thinking."

During an earlier discussion on the merits of learning history, I had mentioned Charles C. Fennel's observation that "a person who does not know history is like a leaf that does not know it is part of a tree."

(Think about that for a moment.)

The conversation had centered around the murderous events of 9-11, the likely chance for more widespread terrorist attacks, and the coming war with Iraq (and now, possibly, an armed confrontation with North Korea). And the morality of defensive and offensive war.

"How will history fifty years from now look upon these days?" I inquired. Several sets of glazed eyeballs stared back. Many students know little or nothing about the engines of politics and history that drive world events. And many could not care less. Yet, these events impact our lives every day.

"I don't think it is ethical to enjoy the freedoms and liberties offered by our democratic republic," piped up one student, "but not know enough about what is going on in our country or around the world to conduct an educated conversation on the subject."

To my delight, a frank discussion that required my best moderating skills erupted from several points of view. The general consensus reached was that a real understanding of what is happening around us today, coupled with an appreciation of what has gone before, better equips us to act as responsible citizens. This, in turn, helps us understand why things are happening as they are, and what the future might hold for all of us. Staying informed, they agreed, was a more worthwhile New Year's resolution than trying to cut out a few calories or sweating on the dreaded Stair Master.

"Do you want to be a leaf that does not know it is part of a tree?" At least one student took the question to heart.

By this time I could no longer ignore the choking sensation gripping my neck. I reached up and carefully opened the collar button on my shirt, loosened my tie, and breathed easier. The button, however, popped off, bounced on the table top, and rolled across the floor.

"Ok," I said sheepishly as laughter filled the room. "Let's all hit the books and exercise a little bit more. . . ."



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	A New Year's Resolution Twist 01/08/03 The calendar has turned yet again, and well-intentioned New Year's resolutions abound. Most proclamations of change are as prosaic as they are predictable. For example, I drink two cups of coffee each morning and a half-dozen glasses of ice tea each day, rise at 6:00 and stagger into bed about midnight, and my body, once muscled and lean, is showing the 40+ years of excessive road wear I have inflicted upon it. If you looked at that sad recipe you would say, "Ted, your resolutions should be to cut down on caffeine, get more sleep, and start exercising!" And you would be right. At least partially. I am fortunate enough to teach law and business classes at the University of Phoenix. My current Thursday evening course is Organizational Ethics, a topic I find extremely satisfying and immensely challenging to teach well. We spend the first quarter-hour discussing a leading issue of the day. Politics, business, and history are the favorite themes, and I do my best to put a moral or ethical twist on the subject. The animated discussions and debates that ensue are always deep and thoughtful. Last week, just two days after we bid farewell to 2002, a group of students were conversing about their resolutions for the new year. "This year," one of them announced, "instead of the exercising more and spending less routine, I plan to be better informed." Being a teacher, my ears naturally stood at attention. "What do you mean?" asked one of her classmates. Her answer made me proud. "There is so much happening in the world today, both in business and politically," she said, her hands raised and waving to make her point, "that I think I need to read more so I know what is going on." "Is that the ‘leaf and the tree' speaking?" I interjected (hopefully). "Yes," she nodded back with no little vigor. "That really got me thinking." During an earlier discussion on the merits of learning history, I had mentioned Charles C. Fennel's observation that "a person who does not know history is like a leaf that does not know it is part of a tree." (Think about that for a moment.) The conversation had centered around the murderous events of 9-11, the likely chance for more widespread terrorist attacks, and the coming war with Iraq (and now, possibly, an armed confrontation with North Korea). And the morality of defensive and offensive war. "How will history fifty years from now look upon these days?" I inquired. Several sets of glazed eyeballs stared back. Many students know little or nothing about the engines of politics and history that drive world events. And many could not care less. Yet, these events impact our lives every day. "I don't think it is ethical to enjoy the freedoms and liberties offered by our democratic republic," piped up one student, "but not know enough about what is going on in our country or around the world to conduct an educated conversation on the subject." To my delight, a frank discussion that required my best moderating skills erupted from several points of view. The general consensus reached was that a real understanding of what is happening around us today, coupled with an appreciation of what has gone before, better equips us to act as responsible citizens. This, in turn, helps us understand why things are happening as they are, and what the future might hold for all of us. Staying informed, they agreed, was a more worthwhile New Year's resolution than trying to cut out a few calories or sweating on the dreaded Stair Master. "Do you want to be a leaf that does not know it is part of a tree?" At least one student took the question to heart. By this time I could no longer ignore the choking sensation gripping my neck. I reached up and carefully opened the collar button on my shirt, loosened my tie, and breathed easier. The button, however, popped off, bounced on the table top, and rolled across the floor. "Ok," I said sheepishly as laughter filled the room. "Let's all hit the books and exercise a little bit more. . . ."

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