G R E A T


What does GREAT mean?  I decided the best way to was to go to the definitive dictionary...Merriam-Webster, which gives us multitudes of answers:

1.     notably large in size : huge

2.     large in number or measure  (example:  great amount of money)

3.      remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness (example:  war causes great bloodshed)

4.     used as a generalized term of approval  (example:  a great time at the party)

5.     eminent, distinguished:  (example:  George Washington was a great man)

6.     markedly superior in character or quality: noble

7.      remarkably skilled  (example:  Jack Nicklaus is a golf great)

8.      more remote in a family relationship by a single generation than a specified relative (great grandfather)

9.      principal, main (example:  the great hall was decorated appropriately for the season)

10.  full of emotion (example:  the news filled me with great anger)

So, does any of this accurately describe America at this very moment?  I mean I suppose we could say America is great because it is large in size, but certainly not the largest.  The others just don't seem to accurately reflect what I currently see.

 

But then I thought about and realized that I might be looking at it the wrong way.  

 

In America and in the world (especially the business world), we LOVE to use acronyms and abbreviations.  There are so many out there...NASA, NBA, NORAD (those are the ones I understand...there are many more that I don't!)  So what if great wasn't great, but G R E A T?  Let's think about it for a bit...

 

G:  Greedy  (Come on, we KNOW we want it all)

R:  Racist  (We've deported citizens based on what they look like; that screams racist to me)

E:  Egotistical (It's all about us)

A:  Angry (Who ISN'T angry these days?)

T:  Tyrannical (cruel, oppressive, and unjust use of power...hmmm...that seems to track)

 

So yes, the way I see it America is most definitely G R E A T.

 

Personally, I'd rather American be just good.  Or to rephrase it:

 

G:  Gracious (courteous, kind)

O:  Open (Receptive, honest, accessible)

O:  Optimistic (hopeful) 

D:  Dependable (reliable and trustworthy)

 

G R E A T or  G O O D?  Which one are you working toward?

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