The Davos Question

I feel very insulated here. Benka doesn’t have a television or radio and I don’t have time to listen to the BBC or other broadcasts and podcasts I usually absorb while driving this, that or the other place. While I feel a bit like inadvertent junkie without a fix, intellectually I don’t miss it. In the states, we are inundated with information. News, advertising, marketing, politics; its everywhere. So much so that we don’t even realize it. And as many messages as there are, there are voices decrying the harm so I am not going to add mine to that fray.
With all this quiet, I have extra mental space to a) do what I am here for without interruption and b) explore the differences and similarities between that which defines me and that which defines my friend.
While the unique and challenging task of trying to interpret a life story is hard enough, it takes on more dimension and depth when one takes into account the politicization of difference we both grew up with.
I lovingly refer to Benka as my little communist. She grew up here in Slovenia which was part of the former Yugoslavia (yes she did at one time drive a Yugo). Thinking back, I had no idea who Tito was or what Non-Aligned meant. In fact I don’t remember ever hearing those words in school, EVER. To my childhood self all communists were the same. All I knew “commie” was an insult and because of those commies, we would have to get under our desks for nuclear bomb drills at Botelle School. So here I sit with my little communist talking about childhood and we see so little difference. Intellectually it is easy to generalize about the such things but practically being able to consider and examine them is such a gift.
Anyway, back to the original reason for my post… The Davos Question. While looking something up on YouTube. I noticed a whole channel dedicated to answering this question. Yo-Yo Ma, Bono, Shimon Peres, Hamid Karzai, Michael Chertoff and countless other world leaders and average citizens from around the globe all weigh in. Keeping in mind all of the cultural, political and societal difference between us. I posed to the question to Benka as a way to show how similar we actually are.

The Question: What one thing do you think that countries, companies, or individuals must do to make the world a better place in 2008?

Her answer: Just be honest. It starts with being honest with oneself, and moves out from there. Being honest doesn’t mean being rude though. Be respectful. Assessing the actions of another doesn’t mean you are criticize the person, you are simply noting an action. If you truly believe something then stand behind your actions. Don’t hide in anonymity or cave to peer pressure.

If we all start with honesty which in and of itself costs NOTHING think how different situations would be - War zones, workplaces, politics and personal relationships.

What’s your answer?