This is my story of accepting reality and navigating the right direction to move forward. In today’s confusing and messy social climate, it is easy to give in. I have witnessed many friends drifting back to old customs because change is uncomfortable and sometimes frightening. That is why grounding ourselves is more important than ever.
It is hard to keep peace of mind with constant agitating news and difficult to focus. We must take a step back and reevaluate where we stand—our common ground. On a national scale, we understand that not everyone agrees on everything. However, one consensus remains simple: we want good people to lead us, regardless of their vision.
But how do we differentiate good leadership from bad? In the age of social media, popularity often defines leadership. The critical question is, what do we honestly expect from those we entrust with our votes, our trust, and our tax dollars? Politicians can say whatever they believe is best for the people, and when we like them, we sometimes tolerate their flaws. But no one likes being conned by scammers.
Let’s talk about popularity. We love entertainment and willingly spend money on it. But is running a country the same as running an entertainment business? What about those who struggle daily to make ends meet? What about the people who need help? As a responsible citizen, I want the leaders to care about them representing me. I want them to lead with compassion. But don’t get me wrong—I believe in strong leadership because, without it, we crumble. But here’s my issue with popular leaders:
Leaders who are intelligent and popular but lack empathyÂ
When leaders create policies that do not support the poor, the weak, or the marginalized, we lose people—our family members, neighbors, and friends who fall into those categories. In the eyes of these leaders, fairness is not a priority.
Leaders who are inconsistent and fail to follow throughÂ
Empty promises lead to betrayal. These leaders manipulate us, steal from us, and create illusions. Eventually, we recognize the deception, but by then, the damage is catastrophic. They corrode our morality and destroy the foundation of trust in our society, making it difficult to cultivate ethical business environments. Con artists and scammers thrive in such chaos, preying on the vulnerable.
Leaders who equate money with powerÂ
Let’s face it—America once prided itself on diversity, but now we teeter on extremes. Some leaders believe money can buy power, embodying the theme of the reality show American Greed. When money dictates power, their priority becomes wealth accumulation, not the people. In this scenario, you and I don’t get to choose freedom. We are only granted what they deem acceptable.
Now, you may wonder what makes me say these things. I promised to share my story.
I grew up under a dictatorship during my teenage years. When the dictator was assassinated, I remember feeling an unexpected sadness, as if the world had ended, simply because I had never known anything else. I didn’t understand democracy.
As an adult, I once married a con man because I believed in his promises. The experience was deeply damaging, but at the time, I didn’t see the reality for what it was.
Later, as a nurse working in a psychiatric ward, I saw firsthand the devastating effects on mental health.
So, my conclusion? This chaos is a continuation of a mental health crisis. If we don’t get our priorities straight, we will collapse. But if we face these crises head-on, we could emerge stronger than ever.