Things To Keep In Mind As The New Year Approaches - 7 of 20

 
7. Stand out. 

Someone has to. 

It is easy, in words and deeds, to follow along. 

It can feel strange to do or say something different. 

But without that unease, there is no freedom. 

And the moment you set an example, the spell of the status quo is broken, and others will follow.



Yale historian and Holocaust expert Timothy Snyder wrote: "Americans are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience. Now is a good time to do so." 
Snyder's a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (which includes former Secretaries of State), and consults on political situations around the globe. He says: 

Above, #7 of twenty lessons from the twentieth century, adapted to the circumstances of today.