Back on January 20, I reflected on a homily and asked why people are not as excited about God as about Ray Lewis. With all respect to a person who is one of the best at the position he played for 17 years, I have to ask: so what? And this is reflecting comments from my wife and from the director of religious education at my church on Facebook yesterday.
Why did tens of thousands take time out for a parade and gathering? So a bunch of player were deemed the best at what they do as a team among a group of professional teams. Why does it matter?
And why does it matter more than anyone else who is among the best at what they do? If we had a Nobel prize winning scientist at JHU, would they get a parade from City Hall to the hospital or the Homewood campus? Probably not.
And, do we only need to recognize people who are among the best at what they do? I don't think so. What about people who have achieved milestones in their own lives. Each residential member of Back on My Feet who breaks the cycle that brought them to a facility in the first place. Each runner who sets a goal of running a marathon and achieves it. Each physician who helps someone overcome or manage a condition. Each person who loses five pounds.
I suppose that not all achievements are equal. What I wonder is why we, as a society, put so much value on some achievements and so little on others. I don't have a good answer. As an economist, I would say there is a market and the market rewards what is deemed to be worthy. I just wonder why we deem to be worthy a bunch of guys on a football field and not the people who help to education and raise our children--at least not at the same level. If a city improves, why are its leaders not just as worthy. And I listed other examples above.
I am not here to judge what other people should find worthy. (If I had commented on today's readings one thing that caught my attention was a statement about striving for peace with everyone, so I am not trying to get on anyone's case.) I am just saying that I don't understand why we as a society think certain things deserve so much more attention and fanfare.
Why did tens of thousands take time out for a parade and gathering? So a bunch of player were deemed the best at what they do as a team among a group of professional teams. Why does it matter?
And why does it matter more than anyone else who is among the best at what they do? If we had a Nobel prize winning scientist at JHU, would they get a parade from City Hall to the hospital or the Homewood campus? Probably not.
And, do we only need to recognize people who are among the best at what they do? I don't think so. What about people who have achieved milestones in their own lives. Each residential member of Back on My Feet who breaks the cycle that brought them to a facility in the first place. Each runner who sets a goal of running a marathon and achieves it. Each physician who helps someone overcome or manage a condition. Each person who loses five pounds.
I suppose that not all achievements are equal. What I wonder is why we, as a society, put so much value on some achievements and so little on others. I don't have a good answer. As an economist, I would say there is a market and the market rewards what is deemed to be worthy. I just wonder why we deem to be worthy a bunch of guys on a football field and not the people who help to education and raise our children--at least not at the same level. If a city improves, why are its leaders not just as worthy. And I listed other examples above.
I am not here to judge what other people should find worthy. (If I had commented on today's readings one thing that caught my attention was a statement about striving for peace with everyone, so I am not trying to get on anyone's case.) I am just saying that I don't understand why we as a society think certain things deserve so much more attention and fanfare.
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