“Time passes and you begin to see people for who they really are and not who they pretend to be.” — Scarlet Koop
In 1967, the Best Picture of the Year was “The Graduate.” The movie was the coming out party for a young future movie star, Dustin Hoffman (Ben) and a swan song for a venerable actress, Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Robinson). The film, an ironic mix of humor and pathos, also served as an introspective anthem for the turbulent decade of the 1960’s in America.
I don’t know the name of the bit player who uttered his single word of dialogue and career direction for Ben: “Plastics.” For my readers who are more familiar with events of 21st century vs. the 20th few products were made of plastic. Back then, bottles were made of glass. Cars and toys of metal. Boxes and bags were constructed with wood or paper. In ’67, somehow, “plastics” became the key investment possibility, the touchstone of both humor and social commentary. If you are old enough to have been alive in that decade, hearing “plastics” rang a bell about values in America. It represented a culture that, very much like northern California, was both beautiful and superficial. If the redwood trees of California represented the substantial qualities of America, “Tinseltown Hollywood” revealed the superficiality and hollowness of a questioning country. America was being transformed from natural value to cosmetic façade.
Ok, that’s a hopefully interesting glimpse into the mores of the 60’s, but is there an analogy to be had about today’s ethical standards? I believe that this flashback invites all of us to examine our values and resulting behaviors. Is it more important to” look good” than to “be good” these days? And are we acting, or merely posing?
The famous one-liner, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll likely fall for anything,” appears to be relevant to today’s topic and newsletter. In an American society that seems to be polarized along cultural and political lines, are we standing or falling these days? The answer probably depends upon whom one asks.
In past newsletters, we addressed the term “congruence.” Within the context of today’s message, congruence alludes to matching our values with our actions. Congruence is “saying what you mean.” and “meaning what you say.” It involves the pairing of our behavioral choices with our rationally determined beliefs. Congruence invites all of us to examine both our depth and our direction.
Introspective homework for today: Are you “plastic” or” solid” in your ambitions, values and actions?
“Sometimes the person you’d take a bullet for ends up being behind the gun.”