To be ... for or against? That is the question
Introducing a new weekly series focused on the values that unite (rather than divide) us.
“If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.”
—Alexander Hamilton
Many people nowadays know pretty well what they’re against — Donald Trump, abortion, guns, Israel or open borders, for example — but fewer people seem to have as strong of a grasp on what it is they are for. (Even those who claim to be for certain things often offer only broad generalizations — think “I’m for love, not hate” yard signs — rather than specific, actionable declarations.)
That’s because knowing what you’re against is effortless, basic, reactive.
It’s knowing what you believe in that’s difficult. An exercise in self-reflection and analysis, discerning what we are for forces us to examine our beliefs and motivations, ask hard questions and move from broad concepts to a more narrowed, tailored, actionable vision of the world — one that’s rooted in experiences and values, as opposed to feelings. One that offers a more positive, uplifting view of the future and that unites us toward a common cause.
Being against something requires no such investment.
Rather than being rooted in logic or values or a deliberate thought process, being against something is often the result of an emotional reaction to external events. It may provide a temporary sense of relief and/or community, but it’s superficial and temporary in nature, stemming from feelings of fear, anger, anxiety, despair or resentment. It offers no hope or vision for the future, no promise of fulfillment or unification — only a point of reference at which to direct one’s contempt.
In recognizing the importance of and need for greater understanding around what it is we, as Americans, believe and stand for, today we’re announcing the launch of a series called “I believe” — a collection of weekly essays that highlight the values and philosophies of myself and other everyday Americans.
The idea is simple: to offer a positive, more uplifting vision of our future, rooted in values that unite us.
The stories we tell ourselves matter
Through stories we discover universal truths, expand our minds, question the status quo, learn and grow — individually and collectively.
While I wish I could claim this as my own totally original idea, it was actually the brainchild of advertising executive Ward Wheelock, who, with the help of prominent broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and others, developed the concept in the 1950s. “This I Believe,” as the series was called, launched as a radio show on which notable individuals shared with listeners their personal philosophies — “the guiding beliefs by which they led their lives.” However, it quickly evolved to also include average Americans.
The impetus for the show was what its creators saw at that time as the supplanting of spiritual values for materials ones. Murrow, in his introduction to the 1950s “This I Believe” radio series, said:
“We hardly need to be reminded that we are living in an age of confusion. A lot of us have traded in our beliefs for bitterness and cynicism, or for a heavy package of despair, or even a quivering portion of hysteria. Opinions can be picked up cheap in the marketplace, while such commodities as courage and fortitude and faith are in alarmingly short supply.”
If one looks closely enough, it sounds as though Murrow is referring to our own times. A time in which we’re defined more by what we’re against than what we’re for.
Our series is designed to get people to think about what they stand for, what motivates them and inspires them, what their values are, what gives their life meaning and purpose — at a time when what it means to be human is being questioned (in more ways than one). To transform our experiences and ideals from something unseeable into something real and tangible and powerful, to then inspire people to bring their vision to fruition.
We do so knowing that while these beliefs are all personal, they are also deeply universal.
As journalist and novelist Rebecca West said in the 1950s series:
“I believe in liberty. I feel it is necessary for the health of the world that every man shall be able to say and do what he wishes and what is within his power, for each human being has a unique contribution to make toward our understanding of life, because every man is himself unique. His physical and mental makeup is unique, and his circumstances are unique. So he must be able to tell us something which could not be learned from any other source.”
Check back every week on Friday for a new, personal belief conveyed by everyday Americans in our “I believe” series.
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