OK F. Scott, here goes.

Writing something you care about is quite an endeavour — it takes more will than you might imagine. For what do we care about? As we breathe in and out how do we understand our worlds — and what makes us care anyway?

Here are some of the things I care about — people’s chances in life — the idea and ideal that people can discover at any moment in their life, in their spirit, in their heart something that sets their very soul alight. That at some point something can inspire anyone to do anything to make their mark. Of course we all hope for everyone’s sake that that something will be good for more people and for society and for the human race in general — or at least do no real harm…but who is to say?

A radical is a radical is a radical. Free radicals set off chain reactions in our biochemistry that cannot be reversed. But now we all have the potential to be free radicals in a world which connects us irreversibly. We are all more potent than any of the officials had ever imagined. We are all omnipresent now. Of course there are still some barricades locking us in place — language, creativity, originality, talent, points of view…but here’s the bind — all the while we allow the point of view ‘out there’ to colour our ‘in here’ — we are simply puppets…of course we are influenced by everything and everyone — and the more creative the more porous one is — the harder it is to take a slice of life and believe that deeply. The more impossible it is to separate from the whole — we are one — we can see and have compassion for the other’s views even if they are offensive to our very core. We are all grappling with the incomprehensible. We are all looking for a few clues that will unlock the future — the path to somewhere better — somewhere cleaner, somewhere less fraught with everyone else’s shit.

I also care a lot about how people feel — other people’s hearts and their own insecurities. I feel so much for others some days it hurts beyond words. Where others can ignore I have to fight hard to overlook almost anything. I can see all the details in even the most inconsequential exchanges and my mind replays endlessly like some kind of out of control catchup channel — searching for the inner meaning — the metameaning — onrepeat. When Justin Bieber says he can’t do the meet and greets anymore because he can’t handle the fans’ energy — I get it. Anyone watching JB carefully can see his physical fluidity and can see how others’ expectations will easily disturb that. He’s a child. Forget all the hype. He’s a maturing boy on fast forward and I get it. It’s no coincidence his album is called Purpose. When the mild person gets pushed to one side innocently by the more confident it bites 
into me. It stays with me.

If you look at the size of Gandhi it would be easy to see him as physically small. So is a bullet. Packed full — energy concentrate. Tearing through the atmosphere making its mark.

I care about love. So much. All day long and all night long. I care every moment about how we create ways, mechanisms, systems, infrastructures, technologies that deliver that love for all — not the sloppy, romantic, sentimental kind of love — not the desperate kind — not the cloying, restrictive love that dominates and controls, not the love that leaves us feeling worse — not the love of country, not the love of God, nor the love of self — the love that is whole — gifted — beautiful — outrageously demonstrative and lightly tip toeing across the dancefloor — the love that lights up and burns away the rotten and dead life that dulls us, day by day. I zing sometimes when I hear a song, see a sight, catch a breath, when my mind can’t process all the data flowing through my heart — when my hands can’t reach enough keys to type fast enough to capture and share the feelings in any meaningful way…when I hate insignificance and lack of decency — when people don’t have the courage that they were born with…it takes courage to enter that birth canal and to take that first breath.

I care about the quality of leadership in today’s complex world. We have to gather our wits together now — we can’t watch like innocent bystanders whilst others dictate who we are and how we live. We can’t Amazone out while they put down rules and regulations and narrow the weave of the fabric that surrounds us. A rising tide raises all boats — we have to raise up for all — not allow the less well connected to sink down into the mud and be washed away downstream and shrug…this is not survival of the fittest — be careful you may not want to be beached up with only the fittest — you may find yourself in their sights one day. That’s the trouble with the strong beating up on the weakest — there’s always someone stronger, there are always bigger weapons, more drones, more technological warfare — walls beget walls D. We don’t want to live in that world. Our backs will soon be against those walls and that’s no life at all. There is still plenty of time to reverse this and to pull back from the brink.

So this is what I care about as business leaders begin to replace political leaders — let’s make sure it’s not bad business — let’s get just the right kind of leadership in place.