I have started reading and watching and researching for my next book, and as someone who really enjoys that, I hope I can convey a message to you: Pay Attention!
Research is taking me to the beginning of the 20th Century. Many of the happenings and ideas that were considered to be run-of-the mill, commonly held and believed to be true have now been proven to be false, unscientific, and terrible. My thought when reading about the eugenics movement, for instance was “how could scientists actually believe this stuff?” and “how come people aren’t taught about this horrible history?” Indeed, if we wipe out and forget some of our horrible history, we are condemned to repeat it, to paraphrase George Santayana.
So my challenge is this. Pay attention! What do you believe to be true? What is the proof? What do you say that might, in 20 or 50 or 100 years be considered ridiculous or horrible? How do you act, and how might it be viewed by your children and grandchildren? I hope that introspection and forethought win out in my own life and work, so that I might leave a legacy of love and care for those I come in contact with.