During an interview with The Telegraph three years ago, the musical wizard Ian Anderson, leader of trailblazing rock ensemble Jethro Tull, made an observation which voters might do well to take to-hand for inspiration as they next step into polls determined to anoint a new leader with the gift of substantial power over their lives.
The somewhat insightful question asked of Anderson by Mark Anstead was, “Now that you are better off, are you happier?”
He answered, “Yes, of course. The contrary position is something I can’t imagine. But if I hadn’t been a musician I probably would have signed up as a police cadet and I don’t think I would have been any less happy doing that. I would just have been working without the same sense of financial responsibility towards others.”
The answer tells much of the common sense with which the music legend has lived his life. However, for all those of us desperately job hunting and for all those now rethinking what nature of individual is essential to lead a Nation toiling through economic hardship, the answer holds more pertinence. Anderson has always personally managed all of his and his band’s affairs including its contracts, bookings, and accounting, with his wife of 37 years, Shona. He is a superbly talented musician who resisted the lower-hanging temptations to which celebrity rockers so readily succumb, and at the peak of his more entrepreneurial ventures, Anderson managed over four hundred people.
Ian Anderson’s observation of the “sense of financial responsibility for others” reveals an introspection which can only be achieved through ‘doing’ it – it being the running of a successful business, large or small, and being singularly responsible for incomes of employees.
Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur nor would the world function if we were, however, when your responsibility spreads beyond your own familial charge and you become accountable for the sustenance of other individuals, something visceral occurs which can be characterized as a teachable moment. When you have to ensure that there is cash enough to cut that check, you know. You know the stress felt and you know the effort infused in all facets of guiding a business to prosperity, any prosperity. You know everything that comes with not only signing those checks, but with having been responsible for assuring that the checks you sign don’t bounce. Society cannot teach you that in a classroom at MIT or at Harvard. You can only appropriate that knowledge through experience.
In the next private and intimate voting poll, as you bestow your name in support of a Presidential nominee, satisfy yourself that the would-be leader has felt and learned that very powerful piece of knowledge. Confer your vote on one who has seized that “sense of financial responsibility towards others.”
A constituent of the vast baby boomer generation with a career which has been fortunate to know the ponderous corporate worlds, as well as the intimately pressurized, and invigorating entrepreneurial domains of high tech and venture capital, I have harvested my share of mistakes meandering through corridors of enterprise from Silicon Valley, to London and endless, colourful, sometimes praetorian points in between. The voyage has provided an abundance of fodder for a pen yielding to an inquisitive keyboard, a foraging mind, and a passionate spirit.
Whether political or business or social or economic or personal, is it not all political? It is a privilege to write, and an even greater privilege to be read by anyone, and sometimes with the wind at my back the writing may occasionally be legible. I do not write to invite scorn, nor to invite respect, but if I get really lucky the writing can stimulate thinking. I also write for the very selfish purpose of animating my own processes, and engaging the best of what life offers. Above all, whether biting fire or swatting shadows, I am grateful to be gifted the freedom to write and publish whatever flows down to the keyboard. To all those who enabled this freedom, and to all those standing guard to preserve it, I am indebted.
To the unemployed vets out there. Go to Alberta and North Dakota. Thousands are needed. You start at 100k per year.
That was one of the best posts I’ve read in a long time.
Oil Guy, I wish I could, what I really wish is they would open up the fields in Pa. and bring the boom here.
A story with a message, no, actually this is a good story with a serious message, and yet the simplicity of its epitasis will be lost on the vast majority, those for whom the protasis and catastrophe will seem like a devastating flood or violent storm.
With one insignificant caveat: nature’s violence recedes in a relatively short period of time, but the epitasis and the inevitable denouement we are so willingly and gayly drawn toward, like singing sheep herded into the abattoir, amid continuous celebrity and sports personality cheerleading, will last for decades if not longer.
@Skookum: #3,
A simple but profound “epitasis” to be sure. Much less obscure or complex than Ian Anderson’s The Passion Play, but still, evidently “lost” as you say, on too many.
Your assessment of the severity of thrashing to which we will all be subjected accurately defines our horizon, IMHO. It seems that there is little willingness to release that full-open throttle.
@The Troll: #2,
Thanks for the positive note.
With levels of unemployment realistically floating around the 16% mark, it’s amazing that there are no loud demands being made of the W.H. to open up those fields. It doesn’t help that on this subject, the MSM emulates crickets on a dry summer night.
@James Raider: A race is run one stride at a time. To unleash the inevitable within the first half of the race, would have precluded the second half of the race. There are 3.75 years left to build the legacy of destruction and hopelessness, while crony bankers store hundreds of millions offshore and we revel in the devastation.
While our elites marvel in the wealth that only corruption in government can bestow, let’s hope the eponymous hero of this allegory and his crony friends receive full and just credit for their transgressions as their epitaphs.
Yet they should be remembered and applauded for being men of limited abilities, who accomplished remarkable things, leading the free world into despair and poverty will be foremost on the list.
@Skookum: #6,
When one observes the sense of absolute entitlement with which this President waltzes through playing at ‘President,’ while promoting fear, hate, resentment, and increased taxation, and then one listens to a mostly pandering Congress, it becomes impossible to assert a valid argument against your prognosis. And few wish to acknowledge the inevitable impending reality.
On taxation . . . . while the real number is unknown, one estimate of cash held offshore sets the amount at $21 trillion in offshore havens. I’ve read much higher numbers and lower ones, and the amount held by Americans offshore, while in the trillions, is difficult to set exactly – doesn’t matter. The primary purpose of holding offshore cash is to escape taxation on often already taxed money. These trillions will not ‘come home’ to a tax-and-spend climate – ever. The revenues the governments could collect on this cash, if it was present, accounted for, and stimulating the economy, are staggering in potential impact.
I shall now youtube the “witche’s promise” on full blast. The wife will appreciate my courtesy, as I shall appreciate … yours.
Ian is a master… up there with Jeff beck.
Godspeed
@mmercier: #8,
Ah, a Tull fan – Witch’s Promise, damn if that’s one masterpiece from the brilliant Anderson performing flute, piano, acoustic guitar, organ, mandolin, balalaika, bouzouki, mouth organ, AND vocals. Through the years I’ve seen my share of live concerts starting with the Beach Boys, but I was fortunate to have attended more Tull concerts than any other, feeling that Anderson was one of the rare geniuses of the music industry along with such greats as Stevie Wonder and John Fogerty. Still, Anderson seemed an anomaly, and best of all, he didn’t take any drugs to juice his experience.
BTW, if of interest, here is a video which includes info that usually amazes music lovers:
WE USED TO KNOW
As you know, one of the most popular pieces ever recorded was Hotel California, by The Eagles – it was basically copied, chords, chord development, timing, et al,. . . . . from Ian Anderson’s We Used To Know. This performance by Ian makes it particularly obvious. Anderson never whined or asked for compensation, but when you listen to the video linked above of a live Tull performance, the plagiarism is startling.
James Raider
hi,
I like that, I always admire a gifted person, who can achieve many tasks
which each are part of the whole pattern of what they do,
some they have printed clear enough in their mind,
so to be able to transfer deleguate it to another they hire and more than one ,
so to make a whole band of musicians ,in that case of IAN ANDERSON,
or a business of any orientation, requiring a number of people all needed
to blend in the one mindset of the top CREATOR multi facets BRAIN WAVES.
you said it, it’s not for everyone to posess that gift,
I was very fortunate to observe a few of those in my life.
I probe their minds the best I could to capture the essense burning in their mind,
I watch them go higher and higher successful progress at their own speed,
it is very interesting and uplifting to have that opportunity,
it is a teaching never to be forgotten, that those who vegetate in their lives loose so much
not to have found and admire such people. so out of ordinary.
there are some who are less able to verbaly delegate,
and many become tyran for failing to transfer what they
have in mind, they are not so admire, because of that lack
of concrete switch, they get upset and delegate only their self anger, and become dictator,
bye
@ilovebeeswarzone: #10,
Thoughtful comment MsBees – if I had my way for a day I’d require as prerequisite for graduation from high school – one experience as ‘entrepreneur’ , and a more advanced one for graduation from college and university regardless what your personal interest. From there, even if you go on to a job where you are required to join a union, your perspective would be forever changed. It wouldn’t make you smarter, but it would furnish very useful knowledge and open a window of a different outlook.
James Raider
I believe it,because I have a feeling YOU know where you’re experience made you go,
as entrepreneur, and as innovateur constantly reenforcing the web like a spider,
I bet you had all kinds of human to correct around you at work they had to produce
so to make you satisfied and to give them your trust,
that ‘s what I was earning at my work, and to me it was a priority, the rest came easy,
that is the secret of one going to work,
but the BIG problem is the UNIONS are taking the trust for their own benefit, their own need to empower their members,
and the real boss who pay the earning is perceive as an abuser of employees who believe the union boss and work as they are told by the unions as oppose to the real wish of the owner which see himself
without options but to accept the old union’s concept, of take it or we break all you have,
but we know the business owner never completely happy for his own business,
he feel constantly on an explosive grenade to be armed any time,
I know that, because I observed those , and never like the arrogance of the unions reflecting on their members, who never give the total excellence in their work because they feel
solid wit the support of the UNION, look at the many school teacher, unionize and teaching what the socialist formula they are in, instead of teaching them to use their own judgement to solidify their knowledge of right and wrong,
look at the young multi thousands of felons at an age where they are cooked no job want them, the society is puting them all among the real criminals not wanted for as long as they live, some of those young might have been arrested fo getting drunk and speed on the pedal,
and loose their identity, the number are staggering,
close to 90 thousands at this time , they have found a bride and have children and have no way of getting out of the label of felon and they are AMERICANS and proud of their roots,
is in it a tragedy for AMERICA, to see illegal get
a better deal,
that bother me,
bye
@ilovebeeswarzone: #12,
The majority of the media has developed a now entrenched hostile attitude towards entrepreneurs, and curses them at every chance it can. Here is a random article from the unhinged New York Times referencing entrepreneurs generally, . . . “Had those symptoms been the real cause of the crisis, “vulture capitalists” should have swept in by now.”
It does not even matter what the subject was in this 2011 quote. I’m just pointing out the un-subtle vitriol to which the socialist media treats anyone resembling an entrepreneur, even in an article in which such venom was unnecessary.
James Raider
I remember when the campaign talk was to invest in ALGEA, then later I saw a program
where a group of ANIMAL had all died in AFRICA, they where still dying , when they decide to research on it, and found that ALGEA was the killer of those ANIMAL which fed on it,
I can see the death of a society being among the ALGEA driving their car fill up with that poisonous stuff,
funny I never heard OBAMA mention the name ALGEA since,
yes he should leave the ENTREPRENEUR do what they know best, why they did not start a business on ALGEA?
without the entrepreneur this AMERICA is doom,and broke,
the GERMAN family they want to force in the school system,
or deported, are having many thousands signatures to keep them here
and do what the decide on teaching their children at home,
bye
MARGARET THACHER died at 87, the IRON LADY, CONSERVATIVE and proud of it,
she saved ENGLAND by her stern policies,
she was hated by the LIBERALS and harass and attack from them viciously constantly,
SHE never budge or blink, she went all the way to help the PEOPLE get a better life,
she was loved by the people of all steps of SOCIETY, even the ROYALTY respected her
she was a true CONSERVATIVE , like OUR SARAH PALIN,
the hard working still very involved in the CONSERVATIVE SIDE with the valiant FAMILY TEAPARTY,
the only iron woman spirit now,
to CARRY the FLAG of AMERICA, like MARGARET CARRIED the FLAG OF ENGLAND, both for FREEDOM AND LIBERTY.
by being true to her words and unafraid of the bad liberal MEDIA and their DEMOCRATS,
SARAH PALIN is another strong woman of IRON, where no one can sway or break or buy
she is the replacement only of MARGARET never afraid of those out to bring her
in their MUD PUDDLE,
GO SARAH, TAKE OVER WHAT MARGARET LEFT to the WORLD,
THE PEOPLE ARE WAITING
What was that, Tom? john? Larry? Lib0?
ThunderGod
hi,
THEY will be coming soon,
either or together, bye
the manatees are also dying from AlGEA,so sadly,
ThunderGod,
here I fixed it,
bye
THE SPECIAL OPS WANT ANSWERS FOR BENGHASI DEATHS.
and they are no kidding,
it’s the ” NO MAN LEFT BEHIND” with them and it’s undisputed,
THE WHITE HOUSE BE MUCH BETTER GIVING THEM WHAT THEY WANT,
THAT IS THE TRUTH, move it.
they are busy protecting your buts
MR MATTIOLI
YOU”RE LITTLE BOY IS AN ANGEL now,
WE are crying with you,
and we feel you are submerge by sadness,
we pray for you and the other parents.
@James Raider: If you wish for a more “relevant” song by Ian, Life is a Long Song would fit the bill-
Great post, James, especially when we have a president who is so… Thick as a Brick!
@Brother Bob: #24,
LOL – Thick as a Brick! . . . . is right.
The brains behind this “Thick” front-man, however, are vile, hateful and self-serving people who are taking revenge on a country which gave them a very comfortable life, and now . . . . omnipotence for three and a half more years.