Aha!.....

So in my typical morning internet-surfing/news-blog-reading, I found this blog from NY Times writer Stanley Fish. In it he basically analyzes how the rhetoric of Pres. Obama’s speeches has gone from using the “we” pronoun, to using more the first person “I” pronoun. He lists many examples of the change in pronouns, saying in the end, that it is probably realistic that the oratory has changed in such a way, because of the singular decision making power that comes with the job, but that maybe his speech writers should tone it down.

Now I think his points are valid, and I don’t really have anything to say about the blog itself. Rather, I would like to expand on it because I actually got something else out of the whole thing, something that if I was writing an English paper, would be in my final paragraph, alluding to a “bigger picture” conclusion. (Thank you Plano Sr. High for instilling that paper format into my mind so thoroughly even after 4 years of college, it’s hard to shake off)

My generalization: Isn’t it typical of us; isn’t it human nature to think that we’re doing this alone? With just a little bit of power we start to feel so good about ourselves, we start to think, “Hey I’ve got this. Look what I can do all by myself.” But in truth, we’re not alone in this world, and there’s very little that we truly do on our own. We have a network of people around us that enable us to get things accomplished. It begins with our parents and family and then expands in all directions, including basically everyone who has direct or indirect impact on our lives. As much as we may not want to admit it, even people we don’t like have a hand in our “fate” in some small way.

But wait...

As a Christian, there is an added element, and the most important element. Not only do I have my family and friends, but my faith in God and Jesus. When I remember that I am here because of Him, then it is no longer about me. The real trouble comes in knowing when I am doing His will and when I am following my own selfishness. And it’s a struggle. It’s supposed to be.