To say that things have been crazy around the world is an understatement. Historic weather events caused by climate change, hyper-inflation, political strife & polarization, population unrest, and of course, the Covid-19 pandemic. Leaders come and go, but nobody has been able to do much to change the dark narrative lording over the world. Needless to say, the last few years weighed heavily on us. Many people are tired, disappointed, and, quite frankly, exhausted. Then comes the war in Ukraine.
It is an unjust, and wholly unnecessary war helmed by a bully intent on brute forcing his way into an entire country. For what? To relive a distorted dream of a unified USSR? Most people growing up in the past 30 years don't even know what that is. Those that knew, knew it to be a period of hardship and failure. Heck, many ex-Soviet countries (including Ukraine) are still rebuilding as of 2022!
But, something magical happened in the last week: heroism...real heroism and courage that reignited people's hopes; hopes that the world will change for the better. That the courageous few can give rise to freedom from oppression, that their struggles matter, that humanity can save itself.
What Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Ukraine's president) has done is nothing short of amazing. In the span of a few days, he redefined the definition of a leader, a politician. By choosing to stay and fight with his people, by taking the tough road despite easier options, Zelenskyy shows his people that he is there with them, fighting for them, and suffering through it with them.
Through his action, Zelenskyy inspires, not only his people, but a generation to fight harder, push further, and, best of all, not be afraid of evil, no matter how big and scary that evil is.
Throughout recent history, we've seen countless examples of politicians who insist on fighting for their people only to run when shit hits the fan. The Afghan president bailed with millions of cash while Ted Cruz secretly flew to a Cancun resort when Texas froze. Such displays of selfishness betray the trust people should have in their leaders. It's not like people trust politicians in the first place, but come on...have a little decency.
It seems political leaders have forgotten what it means to lead. To be a politician is to be a servant of people, not to be served. It is a privilege, not a prize.
If Zelenskyy had taken the offer to flee, we would have witnessed a very different war. The Ukrainian people won't give up so easily, but their leader's action has massive impact on the outcome. Personally I'd like to thank Volodymyr Zelenskyy for being true to himself and his people. Because of their actions, the world is able to see courage defeat fear and evil. Other leaders around the world are stepping up to levy sanctions and provide support. There's a lot of courage there too.
All of the sudden, it's cool to be brave. It's cool to be patriotic, and it's trendy to support Ukraine.
The Internet is going crazy over all of this. Sad to say, it's become a new fad. But that's a good thing. If there's such a thing as a "good" fad, this is it. I feel this is the new Arab Spring, only bigger and it is sweeping the globe. I hope this results in long-lasting change and truly inspires a generation of couragous leaders who serve their people.
It is not easy being a leader, especially during tough times. We've seen many examples of weak and cowardly leaders, but we've also seen examples of strong ones. Say what you will about President Biden, but you cannot say that he hasn't served his people for most of his life. Being a leader is not easy. Anyone who thinks otherwise should try it. Being responsible for 10 people is hard, doing the same for 330 milllion is much, much harder. It takes a special kind of person to volunteer for the pain and suffering that comes with being a leader. The more people you lead, the heavier the burden. But that's where courage comes from. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the strength to act in spite of fear.
We need more leaders in the world. We need more people who are not afraid to bring about change, to make the world a better place. We need more heroes...not MCU heroes, real ones who goes on Dancing with the Stars then fight Russian dictator a few years later. We need heroes who played a president on TV then actually doing it in real life.
Modern day heroism is on display, and it is oh so refreshing to see.
Sure, the war's not over. Zelenskyy may not survive. But the torch he's lit will be carried on by millions of others.
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