What's the Crisis?

The subtitle of the book "Reset," by Kurt Anderson and Tom Brokaw is: "How this Crisis Can Restore our Values and Renew America." I agree.

But what is "this crisis"? Is it simply an economic recession, calling for increased frugality and hard work? Or is it something more fundamental: an opportunity to redefine our most basic assumptions about life?

If crisis is, as the root characters in the Chinese language suggest, a "danger" and an "opportunity," then the opportunity here is to reclaim our most basic freedom. That, I think, means: to recognize and claim our own resourcefulness and intelligence--and the capacity to learn, adapt, and contribute--as the *real* source of our security.

Is this not the meaning of the word maturity? When we find our worth in ourselves-- rather than looking to any person, institution, or employer to define our value--have we not crossed the threshold into adulthood?

I heard an ironic assertion recently: that employees are motivated by the value of security, while business owners value freedom. It *is* messy that many of us are becoming--by necessity--"accidental entrepreneurs" (as my friend Peter puts it). But it is also exhilarating to create our own work and manage our own time--whether in a business we start, a franchise we buy, or even a so-called "Network Marketing Company" that has a minimal buy-in and teaches us basic business skills such as sales, recruiting, and customer relations.

Clearly, the phrase "job security" has become an oxymoron. Yet this sad fact is also liberating. We are free from the illusion that a "good job" gives us security! It never did. And, even if we decide to pursue traditional full-time employment, we are in a better position if we take responsibility for maintaining our "employability." That is, we take the driver's seat as stewards of our own skills. That position clearly works better than looking to the boss to make sure we get the training we need to keep our skills current.

So let us all think about how we can grow up together. And how we can support one another in 'making it on our own.' You comments are most welcome....