Speakers corner!

The trampling of Lithuania’s history

Many Lithuanian historians continually choose not to understand, appreciate, and respect the impact and grandeur of Lithuanian history

	An article by Jon Platakis Over 200 years of foreign occupations left our history suppressed, maligned, and if not stolen outright, then at least borrowed by our neighbors. One browses the internet, or leafs through history books and journals about Lithuania, and immediately notices our great Lithuanian names russianized or polonized; Lithuanian historical events are distorted in many versions, such as, Žalgirio Mūšis (Battle of Tannenberg or Grunwald) where descriptions of Vytautas’ participation is minimized or almost non-existent.  It was mostly Lithuanian blood that was shed Read the article and all comments…
	Bernard Terway: Very good article. I am born of Lithuanian parents and proud to show my Lithuanicity (if there is such a word). I am also a retired teacher. It was always interesting to bring up the subject of Lithuania in my classes. Interesting because a huge percentage of the students, probably 99%, never even heard of Lithuania, unless they were avid basketball fans and knew of the basketball team. I put as much about Lithuania as I could in my classes, so at least the students were made aware of the fact that there actually was a country called Lithuania, there is a distinct Lithuanian language and culture. Living in Texas doesn't make it easy to push the Lithuanian identity - people here don't believe there is anyone or anything other than Texas in the world! Read more…
	Dr. E. Reilly: An interesting polemical article. What is needed is a text by an author as authoritative & respected as say, Norman Davies or Robert Conquest, to write a definitive (well researched & documented) text: "The History of the Baltic Nations".  A title such as this would include the histories of the Old Prussians and other pre-state groups, Lithuanians & Žemaičiai, Latgalians & Latvians (I do make a distinction), Livonians & Estonian groups, as well as the lost peoples: but then, one could not exclude immigrants such as the Scots & Irish (weavers), Germans, Swedes, Old Believers & post-WW2 influx. And then there are the various periods of imperialist aggression from Moskova, Berlin, Karków & even Stockholm to be accounted for. The region's complexity defies simple narratives and assertions. Read more…
	Jon Platakis: English historian, S.C. Rowell has written extensively about Lithuania and the Baltic states during the medieval period, and it would appear that he far exceeds the respect and authoritativeness in this regard of Norman Davies or Robert Conquest.. Rowell's book, "Lithuania Ascending: A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe" provided some of the impetus for writing this article. Read more…
	B. Kolubinski: I’m Polish. I have a great respect for the Lithuanian people and Lithuanian history. That’s why, I is not easy to read, that you may treat the 400 years our common history as your occupation. It was the most successful period in the history of our two nations (as always, there were also some difficult issues). Please, visit Krakow. Lithuanian-origin kings were living there and created one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It is mainly, you Lithuanians, who did it. Please, compare amazing Vilnius to Ryga or Thalin, or to the other cities created by Russians, Germans or Scandinavians for whom the Baltic States were only another territories. You should be proud of your history, our common history. Read more…
	Vytautas Sliupas: To Mr. B. Kolubinski  I do thank you for your expressed welcome and friendly attitude toward Lithuanians, which is so lacking among my Polish acquaintances. On the question of "occupation" I wish to refer you to two books: First one, the 1911 Polish language "Lenku Apastalai Lietuvoje", by Canon (Kanauninkas) K. Prapuolenis. This issue later in 1913 was translated into Lithuanian and several other languages. The second one, the 2011 entitled "Lenku Skriaudu Lietuviams Istorijos Apzvalga", by Dr. Algimantas Liekis. Read more…
	Vytautas Sliupas: To Dr. E.Reilly  I agree with your suggestion on the need of inviting authoritative and respected authors to write a well documented text on the "Baltic Nations". Back in 1988-89 I corresponded with Dr. Norman Davies, author of "Poland: God's Playground", and asked to write a similar book about Lithuanians. In his original book a large portion dealt with Lithuanian history. He was agreeable to that task. However, in spite of him having a thorough research already done, he wanted to be hired at an "astronomical" salary, which was beyond our means. Read more…
	Boris Bakunas: To Mr. B. Koblunski:  First, let me acknowledge your appreciation of Lithuanian-Polish cooperation in establishing the one of the most powerful states in Europe during the 16th and early 17th centuries. Currently, Lithuania and Poland are again partners and allies in the European Union and NATO. I hope that this cooperation between two neighboring countries whose histories were intertwined for several centuries continues in an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance. Read more…
	Ruta Lee: A beautiful soul, mind, heart and eyeful of information......as are the commentaries! Many Thanks for opening the subject of LITHUANIA to the world! Read more… With admiration  Ruta Lee
	Angele Jureviciene:  Very good article. Our people have to be proud of. We must preach the word of truth and to return our nation of its glorious past. I think that the most important tocol has made our nation the greatest thing that saved his property-the language, the very oldest language in Europe. Or maybe the world? The Lithuanian tongue , for example , is in many strikingly similar to Sanskrit . The philosopher Emmanuel Kant , philosopher ( he has Lithuanian roots ), who knew nothing of Sanskrit , was amazed of scientific structure of Lithuanian language… Read more…
	Vijole Arbas: Thank you -- I would appreciate a campaign to convince the tour guides at Wawel Castle in Krakow to pronounce and expoud -- King of Poland and Lithuania -- they keep on forgetting our Republic of Two Nations Read more…

Rūta Bražiūnienė

HEALING WOUNDS BETWEEN LT-AMERICANS AND HOMELAND LITHUANIA
Our debate topic in VilNews Forum, with the above headline, has now attracted more than 200 comments. Here is one of the posts, written by Rūta Bražiūnienė:

While I noticed that the above 156 comments argue about passports, I just have an issue with the first post, that I have not noticed be addressed, yet. "Many here in Lithuania still believe that those who left, whether for economic or political reasons, had very comfortable lives compared to those who stayed behind and had to fight through several decades of inhuman oppression and abuse by the Soviet occupiers."

I totally assume, based on my own previous experience, that people who think that those who left Lithuania had a comfortable life, are sadly mistaken. My parents fled within hours of occupation. They saw close relatives, neighbors, friends be killed by Soviets. They fled to save their lives.

It's hard not to generalize, as we all seem to do that quite well. That generation, who had to make decisions to flee, thought that they would be back in days. Then weeks. Then months. And before they knew it, years passed. They lived in DP (displaced person) camps. There was no luxury there.

The horrors of the Soviet oppressors made them band together, to lobby their politicians, start Lithuanian schools, cultural dance and song groups, and anything they could do to keep the memory of their Lithuania alive. (Estonians and Latvians were in the same situation).

I can vouch for many in my generation, that we were shocked at the devastation of the Baltic lands when we visited decades later. We had heard of a paradise Lithuania our entire lives, and visiting it - was... well, a rude awakening.

Sure, they over-generalized, too. But we banded together, Baltics displaced by WWII all over the world, and continued our parents' traditions, and did what we could to help free the Baltic States. Our parents never had it easy. They worked two jobs, not in their educated field, and suffered a different way, than their brothers and sisters who remained. They sent most of their pay, clothes, food, just to help those whom they could.

Luckily, some made a good life for themselves. But many more tried what they could just to make ends meet.

So when Lithuania was freed, imagine our surprise when there is this almost hatred for those who left. We were just happy to be reunited, or for others, seeing the relatives our parents no longer could.

Nobody had it easy. I wish that those left to grow up under Soviet rule would understand that.

The only thing that would have happened, had our parents not fled, is that they, too, would have been killed by the Soviets.

With all of this contempt, crime, and mostly - lack of acceptance - who would want to move back, only to be labeled, mugged, robbed, humiliated, etc? It's not easy for anybody, folks. We all agree that the Soviets destroyed families, hope, land, etc. What good does arguing about who had it worse do?

We need to move forward. We can't change the past. So all we can do is work towards one goal of acceptance. Please.

The book, "1939, The Year that Changed Everything in Lithuania's History” reveals the unflattering response by the top leadership, their abdication, and flight from the nation, leaving the population defenseless... without any responsible and effective resistance… as if independence never happened

Book author: Sarunas Liekis

Tony Mazeika

In a comment to our VilNews  article series "Lithuania and the Soviet Union 1939-1940" ( Section 10 - HISTORICAL LITHUANIA) Tony Mazeika from Mission Viejo in California writes the following:

"It is necessary to read the full account of Lithuania's leadership response to Soviet demands and occupation in 1940. The book, "1939, The Year that Changed Everything in Lithuania's History", Arnas Liekis, reveals the unflattering response by the top leadership, their abdication, and flight from the nation, leaving the population defenseless...without any responsible and effective resistance. It's as if independence never happened. Lithuania, together with Latvia & Estonia, make no formal military resistance knowing that Finland fought in 1939-1940 and survived a Soviet onslaught. Much more need to be disclosed about those "patriots" who chose to run rather than fight for their nation."

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Our VilNews Associate Editor, Vin Karnila, has edited the four articles we have presented on the topic "Lithuania and the Soviet Union 1939-1940" from the personal memoirs of Juozas Urbšys. Here is his response to Mr. Mazeika's commentary:

Easy to say that they should have organized formal Military resistance – and get slaughtered

Vin Karnila

I would like to thank you Mr. Mazeika for sharing your thoughts with us and making us aware of what I'm sure is a very interesting book written by Arnas Liekis.

You bring up a topic that has been discussed many times throughout the years following 1940. The members of the Lithuanian delegation that were involved in the negotiations with Russia have always claimed that they knew that Russia at any time they chose could have invaded Lithuania. They also felt that if Russia did in fact invade, whether there was organized military resistance or not, this would result in catastrophic consequences for Lithuania and its people. Throughout the negotiations they said that what they were trying to achieve was the best possible outcome for Lithuania. In the end what they achieved was the best possible outcome that Russia would allow.

The topic of the courageous people of Finland and their organized military resistance to Russia's invasion of their homeland in relation to the fact that Russia's invasion of Lithuania in 1940 occurred without a shot being fired has also been discussed many times. The question remains how much did Lithuania know or did not know about Finland's armed resistance to Russia in what is known as the "Winter War"?

3 October 1939 the Lithuanian delegation flew to Moscow to begin the negotiations with Russia. 30 November 1939 Russia attacked Finland to begin the "Winter War". By March of 1940 both sides began to negotiate a peace treaty. Did Lithuania know that in spite of the great courage of the Finns the primary factor in Finland's success was that the Winter War was fought in some of the harshest of winter weather conditions and in equally harsh terrain? This harsh terrain the Finns knew like the back of their hand and the weather conditions to them was normal winter weather? Did Lithuania know that if Russia attacked across the gentle rolling hills and flat farmlands of Lithuania in spring or summer that the advantage of weather and terrain, that so greatly helped the Finns, would only make Russia's evil task easier? An invasion of Lithuania by Russia in the spring or summer of 1940 would have been a military situation completely the opposite of the Finland's and Russia's Winter War. Did Lithuania know that whatever peace agreement Finland and Russia came to that it would end up being short lived? Had Lithuania taken notice of the fact that no Western power had come to Finland's aid with any meaningful support? From all reports, Lithuania realized that their Military, no matter how courageously they fought, was no match against the might of Soviet Russia's army. 

Many comments have been made and questions asked about the large number of government and Military top officials that left after 15 June 1940. Why didn't they stay? Why didn't they stay and resist? How could they leave their homeland? I would say that the real answers to these questions can only be answered by these top officials that left. Some left almost immediately as if they knew what would happen once Russia occupied the country. Others left after they saw what Russia was doing now that they occupied the country. In fact many people that had the means to do so left once they understood what their future would be at the hands of Russia. 

All these questions to all these situations I have asked myself over and over. Again and again I come to the conclusion that more than seventy years after these events occurred, while I'm sitting in the comfort of my home and while I can walk the streets of Vilnius without (for the time being) having to worry about being run over by a Russian tank, shot by a Russian soldier, kidnapped by the NKVD, put in a gulag or executed, I am really not in a position to judge people who were trying to do the best they could for our country and simply trying to survive during very difficult and dangerous times. I guess it could be kind of easy for some to say that they should have organized formal Military resistance – and got slaughtered. It could also be easy for some to say that the top officials and the people of means should have stayed – and got executed, imprisoned, put in gulags or sent to Siberia. Personally I can't judge these people for their actions because I wasn't alive then and I wasn't involved in these dangerous and difficult times. I also refuse to be a "Monday morning quarterback" and go on and on talking about all of the "should haves" for the same reasons I just stated. The opinions of others about these matters though are something I am very interested in. 

Having said all this I must say that the discussion of what happened, what did not happen, why it did happen and why it didn't happen during these times are matters that will continue to occupy my thoughts – I'm still trying to understand and make sense of all of it. Again I would like to thank you Mr. Mazeika for sharing your thoughts with all of us and I would also like to thank you for letting us know about the book by Arnas Liekis - 1939, The Year that Changed Everything in Lithuania's History. I'm sure that I am not the only one out there looking for more information about this period of Lithuania's history and I'm sure that I'm not the only one looking for more information about this so that I can try to make more sense of everything. 

Dear readers, I'm sure that Mr. Mazeika and I are not the only ones out there that are interested in what happened during these times and we are not the only ones with opinions. We would please invite you to share information and your opinions on this topic with all our readers throughout the world. I'm sure this is something we all are trying to understand better. 

Su pagarbe
Vin Karnila
Associate editor

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Aleksander Stulgisnkis, Lithuania’s President between 1921 and 1926, decided to stay in his homeland even when the Soviet’s attacked in 1940... He paid a high price...

Cover of the book by Dr. Alfonsas Eidintas, “President of Lithuania:
Prisoner of the gulag (A biography of Alexander Stulginskis).”

Aleksandras Stulginskis, the first constitutional president after Lithuania had declared its renewed independence on 16 February 1918, was kidnapped at his home by Stalinist forces in June 1941 and deported to a Siberian Gulag. After he was released from the inhuman captivity, he was still for years forced to live in Siberia’s deep forests, until 1956.

Lithuania’s President Aleksandras Stulginskis built this Siberian log cabin by his
own hands, living here with his wife Ona until 1956.

How could it be that a former head of state of a free and independent country could be kidnapped in his own home and taken around half the globe to imprisonment in a labour camp where cruelty and inhumanity were the principal characteristics?

How could it be that the rest of the world chose to ignore such an assault against a splendid leader who proudly had been fighting for democracy and independence in a nation that before the Second World War was fully on par with its neighbours in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, both economically and as an independent state?

Just think of what would have been the reactions from the international community if one of the other state leaders from the 1920s had become victims of such a cruel abuse?

Read more at https://vilnews.com/?p=6539

Cultivating Lithuanian unity world-wide:
What YOU can do!

Boris Vytautas Bakunas

By Dr. Boris Vytautas Bakunas, Ph. D., Chicago

A wave of unity swept the international Lithuanian community on March 11th as Lithuanians celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the Lithuanian Parliament’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.  However, the sense of national unity engendered by the celebration could be short-lived.

Human beings have a strong tendency to overgeneralize and succumb to stereotypical us-them distinctions that can shatter even the strongest bonds. We need only search the internet to find examples of divisive thinking at work:

”50 years of Soviet rule has ruined an entire generation of Lithuanian.”

”Those who fled Lithuania during World II were cowards -- and now they come back, flaunt their wealth, and tell us ‘true Lithuanians’ how to live.”

”Lithuanians who work abroad have abandoned their homeland and should be deprived of their Lithuanian citizenship.” 

Could such stereotypical, emotionally-charged accusations be one of the main reasons why relations between Lithuania’s diaspora groups and their countrymen back home have become strained? 

As psychiatrist Dr, Aaron T. Beck and others have noted, accusatory remarks are often perceived as threats by those targeted for verbal attack.  Recriminations follow and escalate into verbal shooting matches that solidify hostilities between individuals and groups that previously enjoyed friendly relations.

Although debate is an inevitable and even desirable characteristic of free democratic societies, inflammatory finger-pointing can undermine a country’s national cohesion, political stability, and economic development. As individuals, what can we do to curb the spiral of anger-promoting speech that has surfaced within the world-wide Lithuanian community?

Read more...

Comments

Jon Platakis

A poignant article that touches on the root causes of bias and discrimination. Throughout Lithuanian history, the Lithuanian people showed unity, determination and resiliency to overcome 200 years of foreign occupations that, once again, resulted in a free and sovereign nation. Today, it is only through unity, determination and resiliency by Lithuanians, in Lithuania and abroad, that Lithuania can move forward and reclaim her place on the world stage. 

Although, physically, Lithuanians may live oceans apart, pushing each other further away only hinders the progress of the Lithuanian nation. As this article points out, cultural promotion and exchange between all Lithuanians can solidify and preserve our national identity. Organizations, such as, the National Lithuanian Hall of Fame, and the newly established Lithuanian-American Theater "Viltis" seek to promote Lithuanian culture in America, and at the same time, reach out and recognize achievements of Lithuanians in Lithuania. 

One only has to look at history to learn that peoples united for a purpose or cause will always achieve their goals.

Sandy

Very interesting

Mary Ellen Lloyd

Why would there be ANY political differences among Lithuanian-Americans, at least for those over age 40 who are fully Lithuanian?? Do actual Lithuanians who lived under communism support any party which proposes to do the same thing to America that Russia did to Lithuania?? HOW can there be political divisiveness among Lithuanians who were old enough to witness the terrors and the gulags?

Boris Bakunas

One of the outstanding features of VilNews is how it publishes articles highlighting the achievements of Lithuanians around the world as well as the harsh realities of the past. 

In 2011, two highly-acclaimed novels about the horrors of Soviet oppression were published. "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys told the story of a fifteen-year-old girl who along with her family was exiled to Siberia. Both hard-cover and paperback editions of "Between Shades of Gray" hit the New York Times best-seller list.. 

Antanas Sileika's novel "Underground" depicts the armed resistance of the Lithuanian partisans against the Soviet invaders and their collaborators. "Underground's" Lukas, is based on Lithuania's most famous partisan, Juozas Luksa--Daumantas. :"Underground" was picked as on of the best novels in English published in 2011 by The Globe and Mail. I have heard that the United States edition of Sileika's novel will be published within a few weeks. 

2011 also saw the publication of Ellen Cassedy's book "We Are Here," which recounts the author's personal quest to understand how the people of Lithuania -- Jews and non-Jews -- are dealing with the horrors of the Nazi and Soviet past in order to build a new and better future. Ellen was inspired to write her book when her uncle, a Holocaust survivor, gave her a slip of paper and said, "Read this." 

All three books, written by children of Lithuanians who escaped execution or exile, are helping to acquaint English-speaking public with one of the most tragic and heroic periods of Lithuanian history. They will also help educate a new generation of Lithuanians about the long suppressed history of Lithuania during and after World War II. 

I am very happy that The National Lithuanian Hall of Fame is playing such an active role in helping to publicize all three books. This new organization has already donated more than five thousand dollars to help Lithuanian film director Tomas Donela secure the film right to "Underground." It is also making great progress in getting "Between Shades of Gray" on the reading lists of American schools and doing all it can to promote "We Are Here." 

How can there be any divisiveness among Lithuanians in regards the terrors of the Gulag and the Holocaust? I don't have an answer to that question. I only know that during my own long life I have encountered several. I've spoken to and interviewed Lithuanians who collaborated with Nazis and with Soviet Communists. I've heard expressions of anti-Semitism, and I've heard several Lithuanians express nostalgia for the "good old days" under Communism. Probably, I'll never fully understand the dark side of human nature. But I also spoke to former partisans, political prisoners, and those who endured Siberian exile. My hope is that as individuals we do all we can to overcome hatred in word and in deed and help each other when we can. 

In this endeavor, perhaps we can learn from the example set by South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said, "“Forgiving is not forgetting; its actually remembering--remembering and not using your right to hit back. Its a second chance for a new beginning. And the remembering part is particularly important. Especially if you dont want to repeat what happened.” 

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“DOUBLE GENOCIDE”

The "Double Genocide theory" is a concept about the equality of the Holocaust and Communist crimes against humanity. The term was used by associate professor of political science Dovilé Budryté in 2004 in a study of Lithuanian memory politics with regard to Soviet and Nazi repression, where the view held by a segment of that country since before the restoration of independence in 1991 was that Lithuanians similarly suffered genocide under Soviet rule. Recent critics of this Lithuanian viewpoint, Dovid Katz and Efraim Zuroff, have argued that the country has presented a false “double genocide” thesis and its argumentation obfuscates the Holocaust.

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Roger Cohen

‘The Suffering Olympics’

By ROGER COHEN
Published: January 30, 2012

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA — The “double genocide” wars that pit Stalin’s crimes against Hitler’s are raging in wide swathes of Europe and every now and again along comes a gust from the past to stoke them. The 70th anniversary this month of the Nazi adoption at Wannsee of annihilation plans for the Jews provided one such squall.

Yes, the past is still treacherous beneath Europe’s calm surface. Memory swirls untamed in the parts of the Continent that the American historian Timothy Snyder calls “Bloodlands,” the slaughterhouses from Lithuania to Ukraine that Hitler and Stalin subjected to their murderous whim.

To mark the Wannsee anniversary, over 70 European Parliament members, including 8 Lithuanians, signed a declaration objecting to “attempts to obfuscate the Holocaust by diminishing its uniqueness and deeming it to be equal, similar or equivalent to Communism.” It also rejected efforts to rewrite European school history books “to reflect the notion of ‘double genocide.”’

All of this was too much for the Lithuanian foreign minister, Audronius Azubalis, a conservative, who blasted the Lithuanian social democrat signatories as “pathetic.” His spokeswoman declared that the only difference between Hitler and Stalin was the length of their mustaches. She said legal qualifications of the crimes they committed were “absolutely the same”: genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Read more...

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Three major flaws mar
Mr. Cohen’s attempt

Boris Bakunas

By: Dr. Boris Vytautas Bakunas, Ph.D.

 "Mr. Cohen may appear to make a sincere effort to present a balanced view in his article; however, three major flaws mar his attempt. First, the article is based on the logical fallacy of false dichotomy, also known as the either-or fallacy. Second, the scales of balance in Mr. Cohen’s presentation waver as a result of his failure to present all the relevant facts related to the establishment of The Museum of Genocide Victims in Vilnius. Finally, Mr. Cohen obfuscates two crucial terms: Holocaust and genocide.

Read more...

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Dr. Adizes insights:
What is wrong with “occupy Wall Street and elsewhere” demonstrations?

Dr. Isaac Adezis.

Let me start with the ‘bottom line’, with my conclusion: they are demonstrating in the wrong place against the wrong people.

Now, let me explain.

Most of the demonstrations have placards about greed, about how Wall Street companies and executives earn obscene sums of money while the country is truly suffering.  American companies are awash in record profits while unemployment is at record highs.  Something is genuinely not right… Right?

Yes, right, but what they are demonstrating against are the manifestations to the problem not the cause of the problem.

What is the cause?

The profit motive. That is where the problem is.

Imagine what would happen if medical doctors turn profit oriented and measure their success by profits. And medical schools taught them that profit should be their goal by which they should measure their success.

Many of us will die from unnecessary surgeries, go bankrupt from non ending medical bills or insurance premiums, and productivity of labor will go way, way down because we will be hospitalized to no end.

What does medical training say?

“Do no harm!!”

“The patient is first!”

Doctors need to get paid, but it is not the pay that SHOULD drive their decision-making.  I emphasized the word “ should” because in reality some doctors do succumb to the pressures of society to measure themselves by how much they earn and have compromised their professional judgment for the sake of making money. But they are the anomaly, not the norm, while in business, IT IS the declared, legitimate, sought after norm.

And what happens than?

Look how the pharmaceutical companies behave. To get repetitive, sustainable, profits, they supposedly develop new drugs. In reality, they are doing continuous improvement to old drugs and calling them new drugs to justify their R and D expense. (I have inside information.)

Are they really patient oriented or see the patients as a source of opportunities to make money. So they discover diseases that need treatment although the treatment and even the disease, there is doubt about their severity or dysfunctionality. .
Pharmaceutical companies are making tons of money while the country is going bankrupt as health care expenses are getting out of hand.

But what I am describing here is happening not only with the health care industry. It is happening with the whole business world. Each CEO is trying to make better earnings per share especially if the company is in the stock market. If his earnings per share are below the ones of competition and repetitively so, the CEO will be replaced.

There is no shame in focusing on profits. That is what business schools teach, and schools of economics justify with endless logical mathematical proofs.

To increase profits and have them grow sustainably, companies invent goods and services, whose social justification is marginal at best and penetrate new markets, where the benefits to the new market are questionable. We know for instance that cola drinks are full with sugar. Causing obesity. Causing heart attacks. Still we export them worldwide. And fried food also causes obesity and high blood pressure and a myriad of other diseases. Los Angeles local government has forbidden opening of fast food outlets in poor parts of the city.   Poor people use fast food as their nourishment; they have no money and do not know better. But, we nevertheless export those same products to any poor country we can and destroy their health. And make money.

The whole system is profit oriented to the detriment of the market it serves.

I am not pointing a finger at the CEOs, by the way. Individually, they are conscious, spiritual people, or at least some of them.  It is the system that causes them to behave a certain way. It is the system of rewards and punishment.  “When you join a circle dance you have to dance like the rest “ is a Balkan expression.

What to do?

Business leaders should be professionals. Like MDs.    Put the client first.  “Do no harm!”

Instead of profit being the goal, it should be the limitation. In other words: “serve the clients — profitably !!!” should be the goal, rather than “Increase profitability and let the customers beware”…”they are grown up”…”information is available”….”free choice etc”…”  I consider all these statements fig leaves to cover greed.

So, where should the demonstrators demonstrate? In front of the business schools and schools of economics where they indoctrinate business leaders, where the legitimization of profits is done.

The profit motive is deeply ingrained in our education. One reason for that is that profit provides a goal that can be quantified.

Quantification of goals enables professors to develop beautiful mathematical models and theories which they would not have been able to do otherwise. Client orientation, professional treatment of clients, and not doing harm, are not easily quantifiable. With the profit measurement, big corporations, especially the multi nationals, can be controlled: There is a measurable criteria of success or failure.  With non-quantifiable criteria like professionalism, and client true care of, such controls could not be as accurate.

We have developed a whole ideology of business which would rather be precisely wrong than approximately right.

MY hero is not Welsh of General Electric. “The burn and slice “ executive who made ROI the idol to worship.

My hero is Steve Jobs who loved his clients, his application developers, his computer developments. And the customers loved him in return. So did the developers. So did the employees; people fought to get hired by Apple.

Do you really think that Steve Jobs could have developed Apple into the most valuable company on earth if he was just profit motivated?

Profit was the result of the love he has had for everything he has done.

Here is a quote from him: “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”  Steve Jobs

Did he say anything about making as much money as you can before dying?

He followed the heart and our business education has nothing about following the heart.  All courses are on how to make more and better MONEY. I know I taught in several business schools.

When a person knows he is facing certain death, the real truth what life is about comes out. And it is love. Love for whatever we do.

I, and I bet you too, will go to a doctor that loves his profession more than he loves his wallet. And I want to train, develop managers, executives who love more what they do for their customers profitably, than how much profit they have made.

Conclusion:  The demonstrators are demonstrating the leaves of the tree, not its roots. Because they apparently do not see the roots. They demonstrate what they see.

I wish they would demonstrate in front of Harvard Business School, the Kremlin of business education, the school who led and still leads those who train those who are being demonstrated against.

Demonstrate in front of the Chicago School of Economics where Milton Friedman got a Nobel Prize for defending religiously that the purpose of business is business.

They are the culprits. We are the victims.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes

This entry was posted on Friday, October 28th, 2011 at 11:39 am and is filed under English, Policy Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through theRSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.