Wells Fargo

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Well, here we go again. Wells Fargo is in hot water for a variety of illegal and scandalous practices that just leaves you scratching your head. So, another bank demonstrating outright greed with complete disregard for the best interests of its customers and taxpayers. Oh yes; don’t forget about the layers of federal agencies empowered with the responsibilities of preventing such behavior by the banking sector. The incompetence and greed just infuriates me.

Should we be surprised when these kinds of events happen? Shouldn’t we all believe in the inherent good in people? Do we want to live our lives as complete cynics; doomsayers predicting the total collapse of western civilization? How do we live a positive life when we are surrounded by voluminous examples of greed, ambivalence and institutional incompetence? How many times can we get kicked in the groin and slapped in the face before we abandon all hope and escape to our cabin in the woods, well equipped with armaments of course?

I for one remain optimistic about the future. I’m not trying to be Pollyannaish here, demonstrating naivety when surrounded by unrelenting examples of broken systems and downright bad people. I get it! Sometimes life just sucks! Or, does it? Look, we all face decisions in our lives. We can continue to buy into the very things that continue to fail us, or we can choose a different path. How we live, work, consume, vote, and talk remain completely under our control. If our decisions in these areas perpetuate the status quo, we can’t really complain when we are disappointed or even hurt. But if we as individuals withdraw our patronage from the cast of characters that continue to fail us, our combined decisions will bring the “bad” to their knees. It won’t happen over night, but the “bad” will quickly see the early warnings of their declining fiefdoms.

The purpose of this post is not to be a political rant. This post is meant to incite you, and me, to think deeper every time we walk into a store, make a purchase, cast a vote, make a career decision, and converse with others. Let’s withdraw our support from those who have failed to earn it. Before we buy a product, let’s do the heavy work of understanding the behavior and values of the company that made the product. Before we cast our vote, let’s have an honest conversation as to whether that person is an honorable person committed to the people of our Nation, not that institutions and businesses that wield the power. If our voting options are less than ideal (hint-hint), lets get involved to make sure that our future options are better. How about demanding from our current leaders campaign finance reform and term limits? Before we deposit our hard-earned money in a financial institution, ask whether that institution is too big to fail? Was it a contributor to the 2008-banking crisis? Is it truly committed to the community? Do you trust this institution and believe it truly values your patronage? Maybe we would be better off depositing our money into a local credit union? Finally, let’s learn to think critically and to educate ourselves before we talk. Let’s fight the impulse to regurgitate others’ opinions and “facts” simply because they reflect our predefined political leanings. Let’s dig for counter opinions and “facts” and derive our own personal, authentic and defensible positions. Let’s communicate our positions with conviction and kindness.

This brings me to the decision of how we chose to make money. Do we opt to work for others, fully understanding that we will always be dispensable when were showing up on a company’s income statement as an expense? Do we chose to work for ourselves fully understanding the hard work and late nights that will be required to achieve success, while constantly confronted with the potential for failure? What is the path you opt for? Whatever your decision, plan for the downside as much as you dream for the upside. Live small and resilient. Embrace those who love you, because they will always love you and support you when your decisions are based on the right reasons. And when the next story of greed and corruption hits the evening news, smile knowing that you didn’t contribute to the event. Continue to learn, strive and smile. Life doesn’t suck.

#greed #institutions