If You See Something That Needs to be Done, Just Do It

I was recently given the high honor of being recognized with the International Freedom Conductor Award by the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. I was honored alongside Isabel Wilkerson, Toni Morrison, posthumously, and Lonnie Bunch. I follow in the footsteps of those who have received this honor, including Rosa Parks, Bishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama. While hardly feeling worthy of being in the company of these men and women, receiving this leads me to speak out at this moment. I could do so deeply fearing what is happening within our national government. The usurpation by the Executive Branch of the power of the purse assigned to Congress, the usurping by the Executive Branch of the powers to launch attacks that should be assigned to Congress. I could go on. However, I have come to see that is not what I really can focus on. I can focus on those few things within my own circle of influence that I can make a difference in, the individuals and the organizations. And those my wife believed in—the YWCA, Women Helping Women, the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. I follow in the footsteps of my late wife, Francie, as she once said: “When you see something that needs to be done, just do it, and bring other people along with you. That’s important, bring other people along with you. Just do it, don’t stand back.” We cannot stand back. We must all do what we can to make the world at least a bit better place, to make at least a bit of a positive difference in someone else’s lives.

How Do We Ground Our Ethics

What is the Case for Grounding Ethics in Human Nature and Experience rather than Religion and Divine Commands Over the years, I have thought deeply about the basis for my ethical beliefs. To what extent is it based on my alignment with what Jesus preached, what Christianity is at its best (loving God and treating your neighbor as yourself) relative to the alternative of basing my ethical behavior on the realization that we as humans are “continuous with nature” and that, in the words of philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach, having our behavior rooted in physical and social realities and observance of the importance of human relationships and dialogue. Feuerbach in his work, The Essence of Christianity (1841) advocated for a shift from God-centered to human-centered ethics. He promoted a new philosophy that made man, with the inclusion of nature as the foundation of man, “unique, universal and the highest object of philosophy.” He wanted to ground ethics in human nature and experience rather than divine commands. He argues that the concept of God is a projection of human qualities, something we have created. He advocated the pursuit of happiness but argued that, in pursuing that goal, it was necessary to recognize the importance of the happiness of others. This all raises the question. Is a secular, human-centered approach to ethics and morality one that can result in a more peaceful world and coexistence among peoples? We know that the pursuit of religion has often resulted in wars and there is no reason to feel that will end. Where do I come out on all of this? What have I personally found to be true? First, I take nourishment from viewing all of us as human beings as part of nature. It would be unrealistic to do otherwise. It’s a reality. But I also see no evidence that a nature-based human rights philosophy will, in fact, lead to a more peaceful world. What I have concluded is that there is no getting around the inherent human tendency to pit ourselves against and elevate ourselves relative to other people. It’s ego-driven selfishness; it’s inextricable. This tendency co-exists with beneficent instincts too. Our task is, in proverbial terms, to live by the better angels of our nature. What helps one do that? It will vary by individual, of course. For me, religion or, more precisely, the preaching of Jesus and what He stood for, which I find no different from the foundational principles of other religions, has been of enormous help. I recognize that this foundation may well be something I’ve created as a crutch to approve my behavior. I accept that. I have no problem with it. I plead guilty. As beguiling as the philosophy of Ludwig Feuerbach is, and perhaps intellectually correct in his assertion that God is a projection of man, and I do not retreat for a moment from my commitment to try to follow as best I can the preaching and actions of Jesus.

"Kindness": A Virtue to Be Emulated

An excerpt from the Strugatsky Brothers novel, "The Time Wanderers" He was like something out of a fairy tale: always kind and therefore always right. It was such an era that kindness always won. “Out of all possible solutions, choose the kindest one.” Not the most promising, not the most rational, not the most progressive and certainly not the most effective - the kindest! He never said these words, and he very sarcastically talked about those of his biographers who attributed these words to him, and he probably never thought in these words, but the whole essence of his life lies precisely in these words. And of course, these words are not a recipe, not everyone is given the gift of being kind, this is the same talent as an ear for music or clairvoyance, only rarer.

The Pursuit of Truth

This speech, advocating eloquently for the pursuit of truth, given 35 years ago to the entering class at Yale by then president, Benno Schmidt, is more timely today than it even was then. Yes, as he says, we may not be facing the same kind of challenge that Havel did, but in truth we may be. I cannot recall a challenge to "truth", being as great as it is today anytime in my lifetime. Of course, I have seen other authoritarian leaders, present truth in any way they choose, denying the truth, and lessons of history. But I never thought I would see such a nefarious and dangerous assault on truth advanced by the president of the United States. We must keep up the battle for truth, as best we know it. As my late dear wife, Francie said,"Don't stand back". From Benno Schmidt: "The pursuit of truth under the burden of individual autonomy is a commitment that depends on courage and integrity quite as much as it depends on learning and intellectual power. Truth is elusive and often disillusioning and painful. A commitment to truth will deny you the dark pleasure of losing your autonomy to the herd. The tranquilizing effects of the trivial temptations of modern life will not bring you peace. Yet at the crossroads where some of the darkest forces of human history laid waste, and writing in the dark shadows of 1978, Vaclav Havel could write these magnificent words. They are words I hope you will take to consecrate your purposes at Yale and after. “The essential aims of life are present naturally in every person. In everyone there is some longing for humanity’s rightful dignity, for moral integrity, for free expression of being and a sense of transcendence over the world of existence. Yet, at the same time, each person is capable, to a greater or lesser degree, of coming to terms with living within the lie. Each person somehow succumbs to a profane trivialization of his or her inherent humanity, and to utilitarianism. In everyone there is some willingness to merge with the anonymous crowd and to flow comfortably along with it down the river of pseudo-life. This is much more than a simple conflict between two identities. It is something far worse: it is a challenge to the very notion of identity itself.” The herd ever threatens to regain its evil primacy, and we are bombarded with a relentless propaganda of materialism that has taken a great toll on the moral quality of our lives. Let me say again that I do not suggest that you will be faced in your four years at Yale, or hopefully thereafter, with the choices to which the pursuit of truth brought Socrates or Vaclav Havel. But I do say that the pursuit of truth in the light of freedom is a challenge of character quite as much as intellect. And I say with considerable pride that I believe Yale is as good a setting and as good a society for you to develop in yourselves the great values of liberal learning (as you are likely to find). This magnificent responsibility now falls to you. Then, let us make the most of our time at Yale together."

Learning from History--Gaza and Ukraine

This letter to my friend, Lindsay Schmauss. thanking her for sending me the book, Aftermath, illuminates the reflections I drew from the book. Dear Lindsay, I am very grateful for your having decided to send me this book, Aftermath, by Harald Jahner. I just finished reading it this morning. I was immersed in it, more and more, as I read on. History which I had known, anecdotally, was fleshed out with facts--on recovering from the devastating destruction, the great migration, black market, the role of art (fascinating), and everyday life--all brought to life with individual stories and remarkably selected and penetrating verbatim citations from novels and movies of the time. (I am struck by the absence of a similar mining of literature and film to illuminate the post-WW II years in the US. I would recommend the movie, The Best Years of Our Lives, as a brilliant depiction of what it was like for veterans returning to America after the war. BTW, I am going to see if I can get Hans Habe's novel). All of this takes me to what is happening now in Gaza and Ukraine. By far the most mind opening and moving part of the book for me was Jahner's nuanced and insightful treatment of the role of memory and perception of what had occurred among the German public. The fact that in the following decade that there was a desire to move forward, without trying to identify or punish members of the Nazi party and the suppression of memory for sake of moving ahead. Again and again, everywhere, we witness people's natural tendency to adapt to the current circumstances simply to survive. I had no idea that former Nazis were included in the Adenauer government and that there was push back against the "de-Nazification" actions by the bulk of the German public. In hindsight, much good came from this. I embrace what Habe writes in his novel, Off Limits: “The optimistically conceived phrase that life goes on is in fact a measure of the damnation of the world. Life goes on because human conscience is lifeless.” At the same time, I have to say it is unduly harsh. For life does need to go on. But not without seeing truth in the past which points to what we must do better in the future. I had not realized that it was the “following generations” which tried to and largely did come to terms with the past and in doing so many blamed their parents. As Jahner aptly writes, “Repression only ever plays a waiting game. The younger generation later assumed the task of ‘dealing with the past.’” So, too, do the young need to do that today in America. And we should never forget there will be on-going attempts to put the past aside or dilute the contemporary relevance of the vestiges of the past. Again, Jahner, “It's only in the last two decades that we have started to have any conception of the extent to which very ordinary Germans backed National Socialism.” I am persuaded and incredibly impressed by Jahner's perceptive and honest portrayal of how multiple factors came together to enable Germany's recovery and position it now as a powerful bulwark of democracy though not immune to continued pressures from the far right. Jahner describes the purpose of the book being to “explain how the majority of Germans for all their rejection of individual guilt, at the same time managed to rid themselves of the mentality that had made the Nazi regime possible.” He lists many factors contributing to this: the radical shock of disillusionment stemming from Germany's utter and undebatable defeat and the indictment of its leaders, the bitter education of the black market, the relaxed way of living as embodied by the Allies (there is no overestimating the impact in my view which the “proximity” of everyday relationships between the victorious allies and Germans had on people coming to understand and appreciate each other as individuals). And there was the economic miracle enabled by the people and the infusion of economic assistance (Marshall Plan). I think of how unique and positive these collective and other factors are compared to what happened or more precisely did not happen post the demise of the Soviet Union in 1989-1990. The aid was not provided to power an “economic miracle.” There was NOT the self-evident and undeniable decimation of what the old regime stood for. There was not the interaction of people from the West with Russians to create human relationships and learn from one another, really learn and gain mutual appreciation. So, too, I compare what happened in Germany to the aftermath of slavery in the US. Here, too, memory for many if not most (especially but not uniquely in the south) did not come to grips with the horror of the institution of slavery and its aftermath. Something we are still working on. Yesterday, by coincidence, Yale University published a book, three years in the making, showing the involvement of Yale's founding and continuing leaders with the institution of slavery. In fact, slaves helped construct the oldest building still being used on the campus. As the book is published, the University is laying out a comprehensive action plan to address inequities in education and economic development which still exist. I only hope the effort will be sustained. Jahner closes his book with a quotation from Karl Jaspers which we should try to honor at all times, for all time: "Germany can only return to itself when we communicate with one another. Let us learn to talk to one another. ..Let us hear what the other person thinks. Let us not only assent but reflect in context, listen for reasons, be prepared to reach a new insight. Let us inwardly attempt to assume the position of the other. Yes, let us actually seek out that which contradicts us. Grasping what we have in common within contradiction is more important than hastily fixing exclusive standpoints which the conversation draws hopelessly to an end.” Lindsay, thanks again for sending me this outstanding book. Love, John

The Pursuit of Truth

When asked what I most valued from my years in college, my answer has always been clear: "the pursuit of truth". Pursue it no matter where it leads. Pursue it whether you like the outcome or not. Pursue it because you are charged with nothing less. After the Navy, I planned to attend Harvard Law School. I took interviews at a few companies for a one-year job, but when I came to Procter & Gamble, something struck me. Here was a business where the same principle applied: truth mattered. The truth about what consumers really wanted. The truth about how to treat employees. The truth about building lasting relationships with communities. Within months, I knew I had found my place. Law school could wait—and ultimately, it never came. I spent 40 years at Procter & Gamble. We didn’t always get it right. At times, we were blinded by assumptions, or carried projects too far. But I never doubted the company’s core value: to pursue the truth. And that, in the end, has been a guiding principle of my life.

Everyone Counts

Everyone Counts When I look back over my life, I often ask myself: where did I first come to believe the truth that everyone counts? I know it wasn’t in college. It was in the Navy. As head of the communications department, I quickly discovered that no amount of my own effort could make us the best in the fleet. That goal depended entirely on the capability and commitment of every sailor on the team. At the same time, I could see the captain’s reliance on each officer to carry out his duty so that the ship, as a whole, could excel. It was in those moments that I began to understand: excellence is never the work of one person. It is always the achievement of many. That conviction only grew stronger when I joined Procter & Gamble. At first, the culture seemed to reward individual ambition — do well, move up. But then I attended a company-wide meeting filled with people from manufacturing, engineering, and so many other parts of the business. Sitting there, I felt something unmistakable: everyone in that room mattered to P&G. A year later, on sales training, the lesson came again. I was chasing the recognition of being number one in tie displays, but I soon realized something larger. Our district would only be celebrated for excellence if every person pulled his or her weight. The strength of the whole rested on the dedication of each. Over the years, this belief has become more than a lesson. It has become a mantra: everyone counts. It shapes how I see people, how I lead, how I live. And in many ways, it sums up everything I’ve learned about human relationships. Great things are never built by a few at the top — they are made possible by the countless efforts of many, each one indispensable. That truth is both humbling and inspiring. It reminds me to value each person, to listen, to respect, and to encourage. Because when we live as though everyone counts — we create the possibility of greatness together.