There is a relatively new field of social science (i.e. the study of social behavior) called behavioral economics. It has been around for about 10 years formally. And two of the leaders in the field (Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky) received a Nobel prize a few years back. As a psychologist, initially I had a bit of a cynical view of the field — largely because the idea of economists telling us about behavior patterns struck me as rather ludicrous (economists aren’t known for being very accurate predictors of anything.) But, ta-da!!, it turns out that most of the leaders in the behavioral economics field are actually trained as psychologists (Kahneman, Tversky, and Ariely).

In the past, I have written on the psychology of investing and also the kinds of errors investors make (for example, pulling out your money after the stock market has dropped, and putting it back in after the stock market has already rebounded significantly — sounds like the fall of 2008 and spring of 2010).

Recently, Dan Ariely, a psychologist and behavioral economist at Duke University has been in the news. He has written a new book, The Upside of Irrationality and it was recently previewed in Forbes.

I have his previous book, Predictably Irrational, and thought I’d share a few of his observations and conclusions which I think are quite applicable in our daily lives.

Just to whet your appetite, here are some of the chapter titles:

The Fallacy of Supply and Demand
The Power of a Free Cookie
The Power of Price
The Cost of Social Norms.

The premise of the book is that people do not make rational decisions — especially with regards to money (spending, buying, saving, investing). And further, that we are predictably irrational — there are patterns that we follow.

Let me share from the section entitled, The Truth about Relativity. The main point is that “humans rarely choose things in absolute terms. . . Rather, we focus on the relative advantage of one thing over another. . . We are always looking at the things around us in relation to others. We can’t help it. . . (w)e not only tend to compare things with one another but also tend to focus on comparing things that are easily comparable — and avoid comparing things that cannot be compared easily. . . We like to make decisions based on comparisons.”

Ariel then cites a series of experiments that show a number of principles:

1. People like to make decisions by means of comparing choices (what clothes washing machine to buy, what job offer to take, who to date).

2. If a person does not have an alternative to compare to, they very likely will “pass” and decide “no”.

3. When there are multiple alternatives, people usually (not always, there are some other factors that can intervene) choose the “middle” option. They don’t want the most expensive and they don’t want the cheapest (items on a restaurant menu, clothing, professional services).

4. The downside to comparing, is that we often feel unsatisfied with what we have when comparing to those around us (feeling others have a better job than we do, a better car, took a better vacation, etc.) So comparing usually leads to dissatisfaction.

So here are some of my observations and applications.

a) Although it is good to differentiate yourself in the marketplace from your competitors, if you are too different, potential customers can’t compare you to the competition and they will not choose to use you.

b) When marketing goods or services, know who your competition is and what their price points are. Try to fall in the middle price range (but offer more value).

c) If you are offering a new or unique product or service, provide at least two options (a more expensive one and the one you really want to sell) so customers have a “choice”. [Ariely actually cited a study that demonstrated this application.]

d) If you want to limit your spending, surround yourself with individuals whose lifestyle is lower than yours — not higher. When you compare yourself to what car they drive, where they buy their clothes, and where they go on vacation, you will feel less pull to “trade up” and spend more.

e) When you are shopping, be aware that marketing departments of stores know about the tendency of people to choose the middle price option — often the lower price is actually a better deal.

Have a great week — and watch that irrational behavior!

We usually think of opposites in terms of a simple, “either-or” relationship — such as light and darkness, large and small, heavy and light.  And these opposites exist on a single continuum, with the opposing characteristics being on the ends of the spectrum.

But there are some relationships which are more complex, where there is more than one characteristic that can be opposite of another.  For example, in comparing a “good meal” with a bad one, there are different factors that can lead to that judgment.  The quality of the basic ingredients, the correct amount of the ingredients, combining the ingredients in the proper order and utilizing the appropriate process, the degree and duration of cooking, the temperature of the food when presented, and the combination of the various dishes prepared — all lead to the combined quality of the meal.  So a meal can be unsatisfactory because the food is too salty, the meat was overcooked and tough, the vegetables are room temperature, the baker used baking soda instead of baking powder, or you don’t especially like a spicy green salsa on your cranberry apple salad.

Similarly, it seems that there is more than one “opposite” of being thankful.  In fact, if you think of the term “opposite” being rooted in the meaning of “opposing”, the issue becomes more clear.

So, as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, instead of the traditional approach of thinking about those things for which we are thankful (we is generally a good exercise to do), let’s look at those characteristics and attitudes which get in the way of being thankful.

• Apathy.  An “I don’t care” attitude reflects a lack of appreciation for one’s present circumstances.  Someone who is passive, has little interest or motivation in the current situation, really doesn’t understand how bad things could actually be.  (I believe apathy reflects a deeper sense of self-focus where the individual becomes passive when they can’t do what they want to.)
• Entitlement. When individuals come to believe that they deserve x, y, or z, then having that item or being able to do what they believe is their right becomes a baseline expectation for life.  And when we believe we have a right to something, we generally are not that thankful when we get it.
• Impatience.  When we are impatient (and usually, also irritable) in our current life circumstance, it follows that we are not really very thankful for the situation we find ourselves in.  Usually, we are quite focused on a very narrow aspect of the situation (being stuck in traffic and late to a meeting or event) and fail to see the positives of the broader context (having a car to travel in, living in a safe country).
• Envy.  Focusing on what others have that we don’t, or characteristics of their lives we wish were true for us lead us away from being thankful what we have and our current life circumstances. (Remember, there are 3 billion people who go to bed hungry every night.)
• Anger.  When we become angry, we essentially are saying (to ourselves and others) — “This should have (or shouldn’t have) happened ..”.  And when our expectations aren’t met, we become angry about it.  It seems to be pretty difficult to be thankful and angry at the same time, I think (try it!).
• Greed.  Have you ever been around a child who always wants more?  More toys.  More fun.  More food (to the point of excess).  They rarely seem to be thankful for what they just received or experienced, but rather quickly move on to “What’s next?”  As adults, we may have just completed a pleasurable experience, and are already looking on to the next fun thing to do.  Greed and gratefulness don’t co-exist.
• Worry. This is an interesting juxtaposition to thankfulness.  Worry and anxiety have to do with the future — x, y or z may happen; or “if Q happens, then …[some bad thing] will occur.”  It’s hard to be grateful and enjoy life when you are around someone who is anxious and worrisome.  Almost by definition, they are so focused on a possible future event, they cannot enjoy the present.

I am sure there are other characteristics and attitudes that interfere with, and oppose, being thankful. Some of the ones identified above create a sense of embarrassment for me, because they are too often true in my own daily life.  (Sorry about that to those of you who live closely with me.)

If you wouldn’t mind, take a moment and review the list.  Go slow and think about periods when you have struggled with these attitudes.  Think of specific times and circumstances. And when you are ready, choose to move on.  Resolve to battle these ways of thinking when they come up.
For some reason, there are always a few foundational things that I find myself repeatedly thankful for.  And I’d like to share some of them with you.  Those of you who have lived in more difficult times and places, or who have traveled in poorer countries, can probably identify with these relatively simple items:

• a hot shower
• a glass of clean, refreshing ice water
• air conditioning
• fresh fruit
• a warm house or a warm place to work
• a family member or friend who loves you
• pain relievers and medication
• money to be able to take care of an unexpected expense
• warm sunshine or a cool breeze
• no bugs biting me while I am in bed
• clean, dry clothes
• a variety of food to eat

I’ll stop there (although I’d love to keep going).

I hope you have a tremendous time with family and friends this coming week.  Be sure to them how much you appreciate how they have enriched your life!

Last night we had an interesting life experience — one of our neighbors’ home caught fire and burned to the ground.

For those of you who don’t know, we live out in the country surrounded by trees.  There are 8-10 homes in our area, with woods (currently very dry woods) in between homes.
Around 11:30 p.m., my daughter, Lizz, came into our room and said she thought she heard gunshots and then sirens.  Just then the phone rang and the wife of the leader of the county firefighters in our area called saying our neighbor’s house was engulfed in flames; she asked that we call our neighbors so we could all take preventative steps — it has been extremely dry with fire warnings posted; and the wind was blowing 25-30 mph.

We looked out our bedroom window and saw huge flames and an orange glow (about a quarter of a mile away), and then saw ashes and glowing embers coming down and settling into the trees next to our home.  After calling our neighbors, we kicked into emergency mode — getting the hoses going, loading up our cars with our computers and some other belongings, and then scouring the woods for any additional fires.

In actuality, we found a fire that had started in the top of a tree in the woods and directed the firefighters to it, where they had to carry portable tanks to put it out.  The “neighborhood” was out and shared our own personal stories of when we heard or saw the fire.  It is unclear how the fire started and the family actually was out of town.  Their home was totally burned to the ground and it was reported that their cars essentially were melted.

It then started to rain (we haven’t had rain for several weeks) which obviously lowered the risk for secondary fires starting; and the firefighters had the house fire under control.

When trying to go to sleep, I then reviewed how we did in our emergency response and what I would do differently.  I learned a few practical things — I need to take some practical steps so I can shoot water higher on the roof; and we need some other resources to get water up on the higher levels of our home.

In reviewing the experience, Kathy and I felt like we managed the situation well and discussed what belongings we would have gathered next (a few sets of clothes, our personal tax documents for this year, and family history photo albums that we don’t have electronic versions of the pictures).

All in all, we were extremely thankful for God’s protection of our home and of our neighbors’.  Additionally, in thinking about the neighbors who lost their home, the temporal nature of our belongings was emphasized to us — and caused us to think about those aspects of our lives that endure — family, friends, our character, and the freedoms and opportunities we have each day.

If you haven’t recently, I would encourage you to think through your own emergency plan - and to be thankful for what you have and your personal safety.

Have a good week!

Almost all of us in the United States are now starting to personally experience some aspect of the global and national economic crisis.  Whether it is through a personal or family job loss, friends and extended family members who have been laid off, a slow down in your business, or projected reduced sales for next year — the impact is now personal.  This is different than hearing it on the news or reading statistics in a publication.

I resent the frenzy and panic the media seems to want to whip up, because this type of communication doesn’t help anyone.  We need to deal with the realities of life (like Jim Collins encourages businesses to do in Good to Great), but let’s do so in a healthy manner.

So let’s talk about the thought patterns that will help us cope with the challenges and stressors we are (or will be) facing — and how to keep our mental health and hope.

• Shorten your time frame.  Regardless of the challenging issue a family, individual or business faces, one of the key aspects for managing the crisis is to keep a short time frame in mind.  Deal with what you have to today or this week.  Do not spend a lot of time thinking about (or worrying about) six months from now, or next year — largely because there are so many factors that can change between now and then, you really can’t plan that far in advance.
• Manage your cash flow.  Almost every business or family I know that has gone under financially later reports that they wish they would have made changes (e.g. “cut back”) sooner.  So it would be wise to complete an budget review, especially of unnecessary expenses, and make appropriate adjustments — this should probably include projections for income over the coming months, as this might change as well.
• Adjust your expectations.  Life’s circumstances throws us changes.  What was true six months ago for us as a country, in your business, or your family is different now.  Therefore, the goals, desires or plans you had then for the future may not fit now.  Rigidly holding onto beliefs and expectations from the past will probably create undue stress.  What is going on now may not be “fair”, but it is what it is.
• Explore options you have previously ruled out.  Many times we exclude certain options because they aren’t acceptable given the current circumstances.    But when circumstances change, previously unacceptable options may need to be reconsidered (e.g. a teenager being willing to work at part-time at a restaurant; doing tasks yourself and working later in the evening or on weekends).
• Maintain an attitude of appreciation.   We all can probably find something to complain about.  And there are lots of people and decisions who are prime targets for criticism.  But what does that really gain (except for a brief time of tension release)?  So instead of adding to the negative conversations out there, first start with remembering the things that are good in your life — and then add these to conversations.  [We had a beautiful sunrise this morning.  I appreciate having a warm house when it is cold outside.  I am thankful I have reliable transportation to get to work — and that I don’t have to commute 60+ minutes one way.]
• Keep connected socially. When people go through difficult times, one means of coping with the stress is to withdraw socially.  Generally, this is not a good long-term strategy.  Yes, we need time to ourselves and time to think things through.  But to pull back from positive, supportive relationships puts us at risk for becoming isolated, cuts us off from available resources, and we can start to get weird (we need the reality check of conversations with friends to keep our thinking straight).

I appreciate the comments of Jack DeBoer, a local successful businessman who spoke recently and said:  “You can go out and talk to people today and tell them how tough things are, how it’s tougher now, and how much tougher it’s going to get. . . Or you can go out and figure out what to do in this environment.”

I am not a major history buff, but it seems to me that a lot of people survived the Great Depression, and almost always there are opportunities to be successful in difficult times.

Thanksgiving is upon us this week.  And for most Americans, that means some sort of “get together” with family or friends.  Some of us dread the time, while others anxiously look forward to it.  Regardless of your past experiences, your plans for this year and accompanying mindset, I thought I would propose some proactive steps each of us can take to help make the holiday a positive experience — both for ourselves, as well as for those with whom we will be celebrating.

Determine what is most important to you for the holiday and make choices to make this happen.   Probably one of the biggest contributors to a negative holiday experience (whether we are with others or are by ourselves) is the pattern of abdicating control over our own choices.  If you want to go shopping on Friday, make plans to make it happen.  If you want to take a walk and be by yourself for a while after the family meal, do so.  If you want to make sure and get some quality time with a family member, talk to them ahead of time and arrange it.  Be proactive versus reactive, and you are more likely to see your desires fulfilled.

Don’t try to make everyone else happy.  First, you can’t.  You know (and I know) people who are not going to be pleased no matter what.  So quit trying to make them happy.  Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be kind or warm toward them; but if they are determined to be sour and complaining, smile, say “It’s good to see you again” and move to to spend time with someone more enjoyable.  Secondly, there are going to be competing desires among people — some people will want to watch football, others will want everyone to play a game, and others want to leave and go home as soon as possible — not everyone’s desires will be fulfilled, and it is not your responsibility to do so.

Plan for something to go wrong.  The holiday won’t be perfect — bank on it.  Someone (or their child) will become ill and won’t be able to come.  The oven won’t turn on when it is supposed to and the turkey won’t be ready to eat at 2 p.m. as planned.  One family or family member will be exceeding late (they always are!).  The rolls will get burnt.  One of the younger cousins will get hurt while playing outside.  Something less than perfect will happen.  So, first, accept that this is the case.  Realize not everything has to be perfect for people to have an enjoyable time.  Second, roll with the punches — make adjustments, laugh about the rolls (and tell stories about similar incidents in past years), go ahead and eat and let the latecomers join in when they get there.  Don’t let small problems ruin your holiday.

Leave some margin in your schedule.  Don’t book yourself crazy solid — breakfast with your brother-in-law at 8 a.m., back home and get ready to go by 11 a.m., be at your folks’ place at noon, go to your spouse’s family (an hour away) at 4 p.m., and stay until the kids are past exhaustion.  Sounds like a recipe for stress, conflict and a kid meltdown. The key is — you will have to say “no” to someone or some activity.  You will probably have to say something like, “Mom, we can’t … this year.”  Or, “I’d really like to …. but it is just going to be too much for us to handle.”  Related to this issue of margin, don’t forget that something will go wrong and you need to have some time (or money) to handle the situation.  Don’t plan your weekend based on the assumption that everything will go just as planned.

Focus on someone else and their needs.  One of the best ways to enjoy life is to not focus on yourself so much.  The holiday isn’t all about you and what you want.  There are others — whether friends, family members or strangers — that have hurts and needs that could use a helping touch from others.  Look for someone at the family gathering who seems lonely or a little down; reach out to them, show some interest and spend some time talking with them.  Find someone who seems a little on the edge of the interactions (often it is a senior adult who can’t hear well, a teenager who really doesn’t want to be there, or a younger child who doesn’t have anyone their age to play with), see what they would like to do and try to make it happen by doing it with them.  A little kindness towards others goes a long ways to making everyone’s holiday more enjoyable.

Take (and try to keep) a positive attitude.  Hey, this isn’t World War III.  This is a holiday.  You (hopefully) have some time off of work or school.  You are going to be able to eat some really good tasting food.  There are a lot of good things in your life — safety, family, friends, health, freedom, adequate provision for your daily needs.  Enjoy the time - either by yourself or with others. Smile.  Laugh. Sigh. Rest.

Have a good one.  I’m planning on it!

Major (repeated) upheaval in the financial markets.  Hurricane Ike.  Flooding across the Midwest.  Concerns about who will be elected President (from both sides). Bombings in Pakistan.  Political turmoil in Bolivia and Venezuela.  The negative, worry-producing news keeps coming.

What’s a person to do?  Ignore it?  Stress out?  Drink more? (I heard a news report that beer and wine sales are up significantly in the last 6 months.)

Previously, I have written about the role of thankfulness and gratitude in helping us live more contentedly. Rather than pontificate on the subject further, I thought I would share the things in my life that I am thankful for — and then encourage you to make your own list.

I love:

Sunny, warm fall days with clear blue skies.  Cool fall evenings with the stars out.   The contrast of the sky blue with the late summer dark green grass and leaves.  Going to high school football games with friends on Friday nights.  The pagentry of college football games on Saturday afternoons with all the colors, sounds of the marching bands, and faint smells in the outdoor air.  Sitting around bonfires with young people and old friends.  Teaching others how to split wood and build a fire.

Fresh, perfectly ripened fruit — blueberries, blackberries, red (and black, when I can get them) raspberries, wonderful golden juicy peaches, slightly tart and crisp apples, sweet juicy grapes, cool watermelon on a hot day, sloppy mangoes (that’s how I am when I eat them), refreshing pineapple, cantalope that freshens your mouth when you eat it at breakfast, zingy pink grapefruit, fresh limes in limeade, there’s probably more.

I also love sounds: Cicadas in the woods.  The rhythmic buzz of grasshoppers, crickets & other insects when walking through a field of prairie. The breaking of waves on the beach.  Rolling thunder in the distance at night.  The wind in the trees (especially cottonwoods and eucalyptus).  The unique swoosh of the wind moving through the needles of pine trees in the mountains.  Children’s laughter when they are playing and running.  Music of all kinds — soothing classical orchestral music, energizing classic rock from the 70’s, foot-tapping quick paced bluegrass, the angelic sound of a women’s choir, the rousing fullness of a strong men’s choir, and the wonder of a talented musician playing a solo on their instrument.

I could go on.  But you get the idea.  Think of your senses — what do you enjoy the feel of? the sound of? the taste of? being able to see? what aromas bring you pleasure?

And while I’m am thinking about it — I am thankful for eyeglasses, for hot showers, for cool refreshing drinks with ice, for clean water, for quality medical treatment, for pain medication, sleeping in a comfortable bed with no bugs, being able to walk and run, for my wife and kids, for my friends.   Life is good.

Now it’s your turn.  What is good in your life?

Recently, my wife and I have had a couple of experiences together on which we both commented to one another.

One experience was actually two separate events that were similar and which occurred close together. As a family, we enjoy music and frequently go to music events of various kinds — concerts by professionals, school concerts, musical theatre productions, and free community events (e.g. concerts in a park). This summer we had the opportunity to go to a couple of professional productions and were able to take along some younger friends of ours and our family. The evenings went well and we drove everyone to and from the events. Now, we don’t invite or take others along in order to be thought well of, to receive praise, or to be viewed as magnaminous — we like to share the opportunity with friends who will enjoy the event but may not be able to go regularly. But both Kathy and I were struck by the apparent lack of appreciation (or at least, the lack of communicated appreciation) by the young friends who went with us. There was a casual, “Thanks!” as they got out and shut the door, along with a “See you tomorrow!”

This is in sharp contrast to another experience we had recently. A group of young single adults asked us to have a party at our place (we were pleased they felt comfortable to ask us) — and so we had a combination “hang out”, croquet, volleyball and outdoor movie night (we hung a cord between trees and hung a sheet as our movie screen). The evening turned out to be a lot of fun and we didn’t do much — they did most of the setup and all of the clean-up. So it was really no big deal for Kathy and I — it wasn’t costly in time or other resources. But the continual, repeated thanks we received from numerous members of the group has been almost overwhelming. Not only that night, but several times since, a number of individuals have gone out of their way to express appreciation to us. Again, we didn’t host the party in order to “look good”, or receive kudo’s. But the thankfulness and gratitude was encouraging to us — and in stark contrast to our other experiences.

Now the first group of individuals may be appreciative but as G.B. Stern has said, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” And I found an Estonian proverb (do you know where Estonia is?) that states: “Who does not thank for little will not thank for much.”

As I work with financially successful families, one of the repetitive concerns voiced by the senior generation is that they don’t want their children or grandchildren to develop an attitude of entitlement. And I can honestly say that the amount of wealth a family has is not the best predictor of the next generation’s attitude — either of gratitude or entitlement. I work with some extremely wealthy ($50M and above) whose children are grateful for the little (and big) things their parents do for them (I know some young adults in families in the same range of wealth that don’t seem to have a clue about being thankful.) And I have worked with children, teens and young adults of a wide range of socioeconomic status who consistently whine, seem to always want more, and who do not seem to appreciate the sacrifices their parents (or grandparents) make for them. Sadly, this latter group also seems to have a hard time enjoying life.

So the point?

First, it never hurts to be reminded to not only be thankful for all the good things in our lives, but also to communicate thanks to others. There probably is a point where you can be overly grateful, but most of us are a long ways from that point.

Secondly, if you are a parent (even of young adult children), I would encourage you to reaffirm the importance of communicating appreciation to those who do something or give something to us. This can be done in many ways — a phone call, a hand-written note, an email, a “thanks for ..” the next time you see the person. And, as a parent, you may need to help structure the action (help them find a time and place to actually “do it”).

I know Kathy and I have been encouraged by some simple “thanks” this week. Hopefully, we can send a wave of encouragement to others in our lives, as well.

I love the 4^th of July holiday – largely because we have wonderful family “get togethers” that are a lot of fun (and we have done so for several years, which evoke a large number of fond memories for me.) And our family celebrations involve several traditions that I enjoy – being outside playing games (this year I was introduced to bocce), shooting fireworks, barbeque with great grilled meat, swimming and boating, and watching a large fireworks show (one of my great nieces asked “Why do we celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks?” which led to a neat family discussion). So, almost always, the Fourth is a fun time (it was again this year!)

Celebrating the anniversary of our country’s Independence Day is also a great time to reflect on the numerous freedoms we have. This year I am especially aware of our freedoms in contrast to the lack of freedoms I have been exposed to in other countries.

• We have the freedom to live where we want. Yes, I live in Kansas and many people wonder why. Largely, our living in Kansas has to do with heritage and family proximity. But I love where I live – out in the country with trees, birds, wildlife, stars, and quiet. Good people. No traffic to speak of. Low property costs (which allows me to use my money on other things important to me.) And we are close enough to what we need and desire. (Being honest, the biggest downside of living in Kansas is the weather and lack of geographical features.) But if I wanted to move, I can (and have, previously living in the Chicago area, Phoenix, and Atlanta). Recently, I have become aware of reports from China where the government autocratically dictates that people must relocate. The government decides to build a new factory, to build a new dam for a river, and condemn the houses where people live. The people have no choice or recourse and they must move, with little, if any, compensation for their homes. Interestingly, several hundred thousand were reportedly displaced to build the Olympic stadium for this summer’s Olympic games, (quite an irony, obviously).
• We have the freedom to choose our own vocation. Although figuring out what we want to do with our lives vocationally is a huge challenge for young people in our country currently, it is a nice problem to have. Historically, individuals had little vocational choice due to the demands of economic survival and the cost of obtaining education or training (this is still true for the billions of people living at a subsistence level.) And in many countries, young people really have no meaningful choices for their careers – they either work as laborers in the local economy or they move to the local metropolis in search of higher paying jobs, and wind up taking whatever jobs are available (housecleaning, working in a factory). And in many countries, governmental regulations – along with the corruption and bribes needed – prohibit people from pursuing careers to meet the needs they see (not to mention the lack of economic resources).
• We have the freedom to speak our minds freely. Americans are known for “speaking their mind”, even if it is in ignorance. But, whether it is through the Internet, in personal conversations, writing an editorial to the newspaper, passing out leaflets or speaking at a public meeting, we have the freedom to share our thoughts, even if they differ from the current government authorities or from the majority culture. And we do not have to fear being imprisoned or for reprisal later (being visited after dark by the police or militia). I see the free flow of ideas and healthy discussion of different perspectives as a central process to our society monitoring itself. Recent reports from Zimbabwe and the essentially fake election there demonstrate freedom of speech (especially disagreement with the current government) is not respected there.
• We have the free to gather in groups publicly. This is obviously closely linked to the freedom of speech, but differs in an important way. If the populace becomes upset with some aspect of community life, we have the right to gather by the thousands, if we want, to make our voice known. Or we can gather to hear important speakers (less important in our age of technology), or meet to make plans of action.
• We have the freedom to choose our religious beliefs. Obviously, many of the early American settlers came to the country specifically for the desire of religious freedom — attempting to escape religious persecution (many Reformed Protestant groups such as the Pilgrims or Hutterites, or being forced to participate in the State-sanctioned religion [e.g. the Church of England]). Today religious persecution is rampant throughout the world; not only Islamic countries persecuting Christians such as Kazakhstan, Algeria, Yemen, and Tajikistan, but Muslims persecuting other Muslim sects throughout the Middle East, and the Hindu / Muslim conflict in India and Pakistan. Unfortunately, over the centuries Christians have also engaged in their own religious persecution as well (the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition).

But it occurred to me that our freedoms or closely related to, and deeply rooted in certain rights we have. I think one action step from this weekend is for me to reread the Bill of Rights (and at least summarize the points with my family). I am not big on “rights”, feeling many overemphasize their perceived individual “rights” without seeing the accompanying responsibilities that go with them. However, I am becoming increasingly attuned to the rights that we have as U.S. citizens, as dictated by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

One foundational right I have become aware of is the right to own property. Hernando de Soto has written a wonderful book, The Mystery of Capitalism, which shows the necessity of owning property as the precursor for dealing with poverty in the developing world. If you cannot own property (not just land but any type of personal property), it inhibits your ability to be entrepreneurial and create business — because it can be taken away, and because you have no means of creating collateral to obtain a loan.

I am intrigued, however, to think through — what responsibilities go with the freedoms and rights that we have? That is, we have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” (from the Declaration of Independence) — what responsibilities go with these rights?

I would love to hear your thoughts. (FYI - if you click on the title of this blog, it will connect you to a place where you can leave your comments; or you may go to www.drpaulwhite.com/blog and leave your comments there.)

Have a great week!

Fourth of July, Freedom, Gratitude, holidays, Responsibilities, Rights