The world can seem like a hostile place!
That’s a hopeful place to start this post!
Our media is saturated with overwhelming stories of war, crime or violence on our doorstep or in some part of the world.
The sad statistics
In a recent study, the Institute for Economics and Peace found that of the 162 countries of the world only 11 were found not to be involved in some kind of conflict!
The Center for Preventative Action have a Global Conflict Tracker. They list current conflict zones across the globe.
At the time of writing here it is:
The history of our world is peppered with violence and conflict and our present day is no different.
Who are the leaders?
The story of human existence has countless episodes of violence and conflict predominantly led by men. (There are exceptions such as Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir and Indhira Ghandi who were at the helm of their countries respective war efforts).
However, the king makers, emperors, rulers, leaders, dictators and generals who have been the instigators of atrocities were and are men.
In a world where men are at the forefront of war, violence, and crime what do we need?
A core ingredient of many of my consultations is the deeper understanding of what makes a good man.
I am reminded of a wonderfully relevant Yiddish word – ‘Mensch’. According to Wikipedia it means:
‘ a person of integrity’
The term is steeped in traditional concepts embedded in Jewish and other cultures about what it means to be a person of integrity.
Some of the basic values of a ‘Mensch’ include:
- Helping Others
- Do the right thing
- Be a peacemaker
- Strive to be a better person
Drilling down further into the characteristics of a ‘Mensch’ are the following traits:
- Responsible
- Knowledgeable
- Non violent
- Caring
- Concerned for others families and communities
- A good team player
- Good leadership skills
- Decent and ethical
- Shows compassion for others
- A person you can count on
- An all round complete human being
These are the kinds of good men we need.
These men are already active in our communities, prominent in their families, taking care of business often unseen.
Being a ‘Mensch’ disavows the brutality of power, control and the rule of fear.
We need a ‘Mensch’ or three to lead this world.
What do you think?
