As I listened to the panelists on Q&A last night discussing the erosion of trust in institutions, I was forcibly struck by the quiet common sense of Jane Goodall and her inspirational message to a young boy who asked what he, at age 11, could do to help prevent the destruction of natural habitats, and the exploitation and hunting of primates.
After giving the boy some specific ideas of what he, personally, could do, she reminded us all that we can make a difference by making ethical decisions every day and that, in so doing, we can help make the world a better place.
Her sincerity and her quiet optimism made me feel that we do have a chance to stop the hatred, to stop the destruction, to remember that, regardless of our differences, we are all part of the same family and that we need to start caring for each other and the planet we share.
Contrast that to watching the puerile theatrics on display in Question Time in Parliament where Malcolm Turnbull has morphed into an attack dog – not in the Keating way where he used scathing wit, not in the Abbott way where he opposed everything just for the hell of it, but more like the third speaker in a Sydney Grammar School debate.
As he gesticulates wildly, thrusting his glasses at the Opposition, ridiculing them and looking around at his colleagues to make sure they are appreciating his bluster, laughing and pointing and calling out “shame”, there is no inspirational message, no sense that he understands the problems facing us, no confidence that he has any solutions, and no feeling that he even believes what he is saying. That is what debaters do – they make the case for the side given them by the toss of a coin. You don’t have to believe it, just be able to sell it to the audience whilst demolishing the other side.
No business can run successfully when the whole raison d’etre of half the management team is to undermine the other half. Truth flies out the window, respect is non-existent, and constructive collaboration is anathema.
And they wonder why they have lost our trust.
Yesterday, during the school funding debate, Turnbull repeatedly used the phrase “focus on the children”. He would do well to listen to Jane Goodall who reminded us that we haven’t inherited a planet from our parents, we have stolen it from our children, and unless we change our ways, we will have nothing left but hatred and a dying earth to bequeath to our kids.
[textblock style=”7″]
Like what we do at The AIMN?
You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.
Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!
Your contribution to help with the running costs of this site will be gratefully accepted.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
[/textblock]
