There Should Be Many Shades of Gray
The other night, I watched The White Tiger on Netflix. It highlighted the stark contrast between servants and masters in India. Entertaining and thought-provoking.
While the class system is much less extreme here in the United States, too often we view things in white or black. Left or Right; Environmentalist or Capitalist; Saint or the Devil; Underachiever or Overachiever.
How would you characterize Person A and Person B? Which person can you most relate to?
| Person A | Person B |
| Walked to public elementary school. | Innovative elementary school whose alumni include Leonardo di Caprio and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti |
| Walked and took bus to Jr. High | Private Jr High/HS with many L.A. Celebrity Families |
| Failed 9th grade Chorus, 33% on Chemistry Exam | Logistician and Gifted Mathematician |
| Caddied at private Country Club, servicing the wealthy. | Family membership at private Country Club |
| Real world education as Caddy, Bartender, Waiter, Salesman in teens/early 20s | Finance degree from Georgetown, Law degree from U.C.L.A. |
| Spent hours in casinos playing blackjack and video games in 20s & 30s. | At age 30, Founded Strategic Investment Analysis, Inc. |
| Ski Coach & Instructor | Multi-Millionaire by 32. |
| Humble, Open Minded | Self-Confident, Stubborn |
| Years without owning a car | Porsche & BMWs |
| Daughter walked/rode bike to same public elementary school for 5 years and Jr High/HS for 7 years. | Daughter was world traveler before age 2, attending 9+ schools in 5 countries by age 18. |
| Attended Democratic Senator Michael Bennet’s Townhall | Participated in Republican Senator Corey Gardner’s Virtual Townhall |
Can A and B ever see eye to eye? Whose perspectives and point of view are you most likely to share?
Too often, we tend to categorize people in a way that doesn’t acknowledge or take into account that they may be a combination of A and B or have the ability to transform themselves. The next time you make a snap judgement about a blue-collar worker, politician, business executive, or even yourself, consider that they have a variety of skills, experiences, accomplishments and perspectives. In fact, A and B could turn out to be the same person and share a lot in common with you.