The Optimism of 9/11 Proves We are Still the Greatest Nation on Earth and Should be Proud to Shout it Out!!!

By: Dr. Russ

Monday is Dr. Russ Busster Day.  Today I offer-up some “Bussters” to beat the Pessimism out of your psyche, the psyche of others and any worldwide negative mindset.

Yesterday was the official tenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy.  For the last two weeks we have been inundated with stories of recovery and overcoming from this terrible tragedy born of one motive only: EVIL. 

When I was growing-up in the 1950’ and ‘60’s, my parents pressed upon me how thankful I should be for having been born in America.  They were part of Brokaw’s “Greatest Generation,” whose character was formed by being raised in the Great Depression and tested in World War II.

If I asked why I was so lucky, my parents would first point to the abundance of food, clothing and everyday comforts of refrigeration, air conditioning, televisions, airplanes, and automobiles that we had and other countries did not. After pointing out those material outcomes, my parents would then point to more important intangible processes like democracy, freedom to vote and to practice the religion of one’s choice without fear of persecution. 

In my opinion, democracy and freedom are processes essential to the long term happiness and luck my parents said I had been born into.  But, they taught it just wasn’t me who had been born into this abundance of goods and positive attitude, but everyone born here was guaranteed the opportunity structure to be all they could be.

Not fifty years later I am hearing that America is on the decline,  that we are like England at the dawn of the twentieth century, about to have their power usurped by neighbors to the west.  Some believe China and India are on target to become the next great superpowers.

I am for all countries of the world achieving superpower status, creating an equality in economic condition that has never been seen on earth.  While many countries have achieved even exceeded our quality of economic living, none exceeds the opportunity structure to be all you can be that is inherent in our democracy.

Here are 10 shouts to start making about our GREATNESS!

9/11 Super Bussters to Shout-Out-About

1. We are the “sweet land of liberty,” and Lady Liberty remains the entrance way and symbol of optimistic opportunity of the Land of the Free!
2. The fall of the Twin Towers only served to strengthen our resolve to stand strong for America and the values, not the material goods, that she has.
3. Ten years later, we see evil on the run, in hiding or dead.  Bin Laden is dead, uprisings through the middle east in the summer of 2011 have dethroned several oppressive dictatorships, and the epitomy of evil, Moamar Gadaffi is in hiding.
4. Ninety-nine days passed before the fires in ruble of the fallen towers were declared extinguished, but we endured.
5. I have yet to hear a story of someone being hopeless and helpless.  Every story I have heard is about someone giving their life to make sure a plane crashed in Pennsylvania and not the White House, firemen risking and giving up their lives to save someone, people sucking dust and risking death to go back in and carry out one more survivor.
6. The Twin Towers were a symbol of the material growth and greatness of America.  The new memorial at Ground Zero gives eternal honor to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and spirit of optimism.
7. Reality – The death toll was 2,977 total victims; 343 personnel of the fire department, and 60 police officers were killed.  I cite these statistics not to overwhelm or incite fear and helplessness, but to show the enormity of the tragedy and all that we have overcome.
8. Yes other countries are starting to achieve economic parity with us.  Let’s give them credit.  9/11 has reminded America that our greatness is our spirit, our spirit of optimism. 
9. Some 200 years ago, the British tried to torch the White House, and it was only thru the heroic efforts of Dolly Madison that many priceless artifacts of American History were saved. We have not changed!
10. It was not the fall of the Twin Towers that defined or defines this event, but it was and remains our response, our attitude about who we are and who we need to shout about. We should continue to invite the world to participate in our grand experiment of freedom and democracy. 
11. It is not about our greatness per se, but about the promise of great opportunity that the U.S. can shout out to the world.

Optimism: Be "Glad About That" for Egypt

By Dr. Russ,

The eyes and cameras of the world are all focused on Egypt this week.  In the Dr. Russ Buss, “Glad About That Game,” we explore the worst case scenario, the silver lining and golden opportunity in any situation. 

Events in Egypt are still unfolding.  President Obama and other leaders from around the globe are working behind the scenes to prevent any number of worst case scenarios.  We are all hoping for a silver lining or better yet, a golden opportunity.  As of today, here are my thoughts about these three elements of the positive view.

Worst Case Scenarios for Egypt

1. Violence and chaos in the streets become the norm and are uncontrolled day after day for weeks.
2. Mubarik takes over the military and creates a true dictatorship instead of a sham democracy.
3. Glen Beck’s prophecy for a radical Islamic takeover of the middle east comes true.

 Silver Linings For Egypt

1. Citizens of oppressed countries, and particularly the youth, are learning they have a voice for freedom that is being heard within their countries and around the world.
2. Leaders of these oppressed countries are already doing the “backwards dance;” backing off of oppressive policies, reforming governments to give the people more of a voice, more of a democracy.
3. The anti-Mubarak protestors in Egypt are leading the way in saying, Yes, I can believe in the impossible dream and take action to accomplish a goal everyone up until now was afraid to speak of.

Golden Opportunities for Egypt

1. A chance to create a true and stable democracy in Egypt. 
2. A chance for a real grass routes push-back to radical Islamic dictatorships in the Middle East.
3. A chance for governments to realize it is better to live in peace that to be at war.

An optimist works to prevent the “worst case scenario” and to create the silver linings and golden opportunities.  As the Egyptian crisis unfolds over the next days, weeks and months, the circumstances that reality presents to the people of Egypt and to the world will change. 

Regardless of the circumstances, the optimists among us will be continually revising our view of the worst case, silver lining and golden opportunities with a view to preventing the worst and maximizing silver and gold!

What do you think?



Egypt: The Contrast of Optimism and Pessimism in Cairo Protests

By Dr. Russ

The world is focused on Egypt and one million protesters in a central square in Cairo.  The events and protest movement provide an opportunity for me to expound on the contrast of optimism and pessimism inherent in this international crisis. 

The Egyptian protest movement is another chance to show how optimism is born of pessimism; how a pessimistic moment often precedes an optimistic one...or at least presents a problem that can be turned into an optimistic opportunity.

Nine Transitions of Pessimism into Optimism from the Egyptian Crisis

From Pessimism:

• All roads to Cairo have been shut down.

To Optimism:

• Thousands defied the transportation shutdown and found a way to travel to Cairo from the Nile Delta Region by foot, bike, rogue car or truck.

From Pessimism:

• A teacher after 22 years of teaching only makes $70 a month.

To Optimism:

• The teacher wants a better education system so she can teach in one that guarantees her students a good life after school.

From Pessimism:

• Older generations could never say no to Mubarak.

Optimism:

• Young people today are proving they CAN say no. 

From Pessimism:

• Thousands of protesters sleeping on the streets.

To Optimism:

• Protesters are sleeping in the square next to school teachers, farmers, unemployed university graduates, women in conservative heads carves and women in high heels, men in suits and working-class men in scuffed shoes.

 From Pessimism:

• High-handed police demand bribes from local business in order for them to stay open.

To Optimism:

• Small business owners have taken the risk to join the protest because they want their children to have a better life without humiliation from authorities and a chance to choose their president.

From Pessimism:

• Troops and Soviet-era and newer U.S.-made Abrams tanks stand at the roads leading into Tahrir Square in Cairo where hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million will be protesting. 

To Optimism:

• Protests, by and large, have been peaceful, and troops and tanks have not fired upon the crowds. The military promised on state TV Monday night that it would not fire on protesters.

From Pessimism:

• An unprecedented shutdown of the Internet was is in its fifth day.  

To Optimism:

• Reporters from CNN and other international networks are giving live interviews from Tahrir Square and tweeting out about it.  Hackers have re-opened the internet channels out of Egypt.

From Pessimism:

• In response to the protest, President Mubarak tried to make a minor change to his government by simply dropping his interior minister who heads the police forces.

To Optimism:

• The protesters and President Obama rejected the plan immediately.  A Mubarak aid has announced on state TV an offer to have a dialogue with “political forces” for constitutional and legislative reforms.

From Pessimism: 

• The protest involves a range of social movements with conflicting agendas including students, online activists, grass root organizers, old school politicians, and fundamentalist Muslim groups.

To Optimism:

• Despite the potential for conflict between these subgroups, we hope they keep a single mindedness of purpose focused on the higher order common goal to establish a true democracy despite any secular differences.