Integrity is earned (#1113)

Prestige is a valued commodity in our society. Some earn prestige by through their personal and professional integrity, while others earn prestige by any other means necessary to attain it. There is a difference here, whereas prestige earned properly is valued by not only the one who holds the position of prestige but also by those who see the integrity of the one as well. I was talking to a friend about how some people attain positions of authority for reasons that have more to do with their own search for recognition or through their own vain-glory. It seems that we have many in positions of authority who have gotten there through less than noble means. Nepotism, deceit and wealthy posturing are a few ways the inappropriate-to-the-position find themselves where they want to be, instead of people, who have earned their integrity through bona fides and meritorious examples of thought and action. The adage that the cream rises to the top is stymied by the obstacles to opportunity we have in place in our society that seem to benefit those who can buy their way or can manipulate it without much resistance. So be the reality of our incomprehensible system of societal structure. I am not being pessimistic here but I am a pragmatist. Knowing something is inherently wrong is not the same as condoning, on the contrary, I am making some little fun of it. As important as it is to have the right people in the right positions for our society to function as smoothly as possible, it seems we must all recognize the problem before we can fix it. I wish I could pull some miracle out of my pocket and make the living of life comply with our own best natures, however, I cannot and in lieu of that I can only continue to live my life with as much integrity as I am able.