This post was written as a Facebook post on 3/14/2023
Okay, I have gone back and forth on how to respond to the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.
First, I need space to laugh at absurdity: The banks failed because of “WOKE.” The way Michael Kosta said that was hilarious.
Come on, GOP. Give me a break with your anti-woke sentiments that are anything but loving.
Okay, now to the serious talk. Do you all know I have a business degree as well? Because I do. When I started work in the oil and gas industry, the show “The Apprentice” began. It was fun to watch for about two seasons, and then I saw the really yucky side of a former president. Also, there was nothing ethical about the business practices on the Apprentice. That show was pure entertainment and revealed itself when it became Celebrity Apprentice. It gave the former president an illegal competitive advantage in the business world. But now I know rich people are not held accountable.
I thought I would never have to see this person again when I turned off my TV after two seasons. OY! Not only did I have to see him again, but I had to listen to him abuse us as a nation and pass laws that have had devastating effects that we are still paying for today. One is pulling back on regulations implemented after the bank failure of 2008! A bank failure under a GOP president, so please stop with the woke nonsense blame game that is only proving to be racist, sexist, and homophobic/anti-trans.
One of the greatest ironies about the posture of the GOP party is this: most people who make up the GOP party who are evangelical Christians tend to believe that humans are created sinful, untrustworthy, and are no good until they find God–their only escape from hell. But they only carry that belief spiritually because no laws on earth need to be in place to save us from hell on earth. And they claim to be the party of responsibility, but that is only for people without power.
On the flip side, people who tend to not be conservative (Not all. This is in general. There will always be exceptions, but, as a whole, this is how it is playing out) typically believe people are created good. I do. But we also DO need to be protected from ourselves. The same goes for businesses. These regulations implemented after the 2008 failure did a lot of good in keeping banks from taking advantage of people. Regulations are implemented for our protection. This is how I interpret God in Hebrew Scripture when the Israelites are being delivered from oppression and sent to the wilderness. God is trying to keep them safe. The allure of comfort is so great, and for good reason, but it takes away people’s humanity every time. God wants us to stay human. This is how I interpret God sending Jesus, whose faithfulness was not in paying for our sins but in remaining human all the way to the end.
This is why I am trying hard to create high-trust systems (friendship as a political movement) to help us thrive as our most authentic selves while being held accountable too. The temptation to be lured into the way of money is absolutely a human nature thing we must be aware of. Money is something we need, but it is a terrible God.
Okay, that is my Lindsay Talk for the day. Feel free to chime in if you want.
There is Life Out There 