When you are in a position of leadership or responsibility, you must carry out your duties. The mission comes first: you don’t have a choice. Too many people today want the benefits of being “in charge,” without being mindful of the responsibilities. Leadership carries many obligations, and some of them are not pleasant. But they must be done. Life is not about having “fun,” enjoying frivolities, and basking in vanity. In 2020, we saw many examples of mayors and governors dodging their fundamental obligation to keep public order and discipline. We discuss one such example, and seek wider lessons.
Podcast
Should I Stay Or Should I Go? (Podcast)
A reader writes to ask for advice on whether he should travel to the US to attend college. His family wants him to stay where he is, but he longs for wider horizons and new opportunities. Each option has advantages and drawbacks.
“Am I Too Quiet And Withdrawn?” (Podcast)
A 20-year-old man working in law enforcement tends to be quiet and introverted. He’s serious and goal-oriented. Some of his colleagues mistakenly put a negative spin on this, and this is causing him to wonder if he needs to make some personality changes. We offer some thoughts on the situation.
Should I Start A Business? (Podcast)
A reader who was a professional poker player for a number of years is getting restless. He wants to start a business, but has some questions about how he should go about doing it. We offer some ideas.
Two Questions: Different Virtues, And Book Lists (Podcast)
In this podcast we answer two recent questions from readers. One question deals with the virtues, and the other question relates to recommended books.
Some Recent Questions (Podcast)
In this podcast, I answer some recent questions on a variety of subjects: family, relationships, homelessness, and school choices.
Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard” (Podcast)
This podcast is a reading of Thomas Gray’s poem Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard. It is a stately meditation on mortality and glory, themes that appear frequently in Stoic writings.
Do What You Love, Because Life’s Going To Kick You In The Head No Matter What You Do (Podcast)
A reader asks if he’s making the right decision by leaving his corporate job and going to law school. He is uninspired by his current job, feels restless, and wants to fight against the injustices he sees around him. He is intelligent, organized, and motivated to change. I offer some thoughts on his decision.
The Multimixer Moment (Podcast)
In life there are certain crisis points that may lead to fateful decisions. Recognizing these points, and acting decisively when they are reached, is the mark of a true man of action. When you are on a track that you don’t want to be on, you will eventually have to choose one of two options: accept your present circumstances, or take dramatic action to break out of your situation. This crisis point, this moment of decision, what I call the “Multimixer Moment.” It’s a reference to a scene in the 2016 film The Founder, a movie about how a traveling salesman named Ray Kroc founded the McDonald’s franchise.
Do Not Surrender The Playing Field (Podcast)
There are too many who are too quick to leave the field, give up, and throw in the towel. When you do that, you forfeit the game to the other side. And in many cases, the unworthies win. Then they end up in positions of power. Good men and women must always be prepared to see the game through to the very end, and must never allow themselves to concede the game. You have just as much right to be there as the unworthies do, so stake a claim, and make yourself heard.