About Parents, Priests and Generals - A Guide for How to Change the World for Good
Changing the world is at its simplest, changing people. But changing people for “good” – that’s complicated. Empowering people or educating them isn’t enough to change the world for good. Even making people wise or courageous or self-disciplined or honest isn't enough. But if we could develop the character trait that allows us to put others’ interests ahead of our own, then there would be no more war, no more poverty, and no more disease. It’s not impossible.
“Behold, I am of small account.” Job, Hebrew prophet
We can change the world. We can right Injustices. We can listen to what our patients are saying with their stories, root out and heal their ailments while helping them see the fullness of life beyond their own. We can create businesses that will outlast themselves through their employees, suppliers, customers and community. We can nurture that damaged and fearful child to a life full of confidence and joy. We can teach our students to share simply because their classmate is valuable regardless of the favor he might or might not return. We can win Martin Luther King’s double-victory over our oppressors. We can lead our parishioners toward intimacy with one another and God. We can write stories and make sculptures that inspire us to be our best selves. We can be diligent and disciplined in our commitments to value others even ahead of ourselves. However, sooner or later we will reach our pain threshold and we will realize like Job, that we are “of small account.” Without some of Joe Mukanwa’s “spirit,” whatever we do to change the world will be a childish and mostly futile exercise in painting by numbers.
parentspriestsgenerals.com (https://parentspriestsgenerals.com)
27 Apr 2020
The Foundations of the Earth - Part 1
“Behold, I am of small account.” Job, Hebrew prophet
We can change the world. We can right Injustices. We can listen to what our patients are saying with their stories, root out and heal their ailments while helping them see the fullness of life beyond their own. We can create businesses that will outlast themselves through their employees, suppliers, customers and community. We can nurture that damaged and fearful child to a life full of confidence and joy. We can teach our students to share simply because their classmate is valuable regardless of the favor he might or might not return. We can win Martin Luther King’s double-victory over our oppressors. We can lead our parishioners toward intimacy with one another and God. We can write stories and make sculptures that inspire us to be our best selves. We can be diligent and disciplined in our commitments to value others even ahead of ourselves. However, sooner or later we will reach our pain threshold and we will realize like Job, that we are “of small account.” Without some of Joe Mukanwa’s “spirit,” whatever we do to change the world will be a childish and mostly futile exercise in painting by numbers.
parentspriestsgenerals.com (https://parentspriestsgenerals.com)
27 Apr 2020
Addicted to Stories - Part 2
“We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.” Jonathan Gottschall, author of The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human
Our imaginations have been captured by the many stories we see and hear on a daily basis. We imagine ourselves in Script's song, on our way to the Hall of Fame. We imagine ourselves as Tom Brady, married to a supermodel and winning the Superbowl. We hope to experience the wealth and power promised by The Secret or the meaning and fulfillment of The Purpose Driven Life.
Literary critic, George Steiner, wrote, “ours is the long day's journey of the Saturday, between suffering, aloneness, unutterable waste on the one hand and the dream of liberation, of rebirth on the other.” Aslan goes farther than Sherlock’s or Schindler’s sacrifices for those they loved. Edmund had betrayed his actual blood brothers and sisters whom he truly did love. He sold out an entire kingdom for nothing more than a truffle. But Aslan chose a path sure to lead him to an undignified death on behalf of someone who had betrayed him and the people he loved. Elevating others over self, helping others to achieve more even if it means we achieve less, valuing every human equally simply because they are human, fighting the good fight – these are stories that touch on the most popular of all Hollywood themes - “Love Conquers All.”
Changing character happens as the listeners imagine themselves in the stories being told. I have a request from my daughters, that you who pursue your dream to change the world through art and entertainment will be careful to tell stories that they will be better for having imitated.
parentspriestsgenerals.com (https://parentspriestsgenerals.com)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Contact Parents, Priests and Generals - A Guide for How to Change the World for Good
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Parents, Priests and Generals - A Guide for How to Change the World for Good?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
