Numbers Game

We are the information age, and the age of immediate feedback. Ratings and numbers are the currency of our modern day culture. We rate everything from our favorite posts online, to favorite videos, to favorite people. We use likes, comments, shares, and retweets to rate everything: our uber drivers, homes we stay in, places we visit, favorite restaurants, etc.

This feedback gives us opportunities that we’ve never had before. Suddenly, we the people are in power. No longer do you need the approval of a select few powerful organizations to be noticed. You can find approval from the general public on the internet.

And sure, feedback is nothing new. We’ve been sharing stories and recommending things to our friends and family for generations, but never on this scale. This is new territory. This is the territory where a mom can go ‘viral’ for wearing a Chewbacca mask. Everyday people show up on talk shows for everything from acts of bravery that were caught on surveillance, to making comments about a pair of sneakers. We really are a new era.

Popularity has never been more popular than it is today, with everyone always one step away from fame, and one post away from going ‘viral.’

But with all the things we evaluate and measure, some things are less quantifiable. Our numbers don’t measure things like generosity, and sacrifice. Popularity doesn’t always find the humble and the kind. And numbers can’t measure consistent commitment to problem solving, learning, and personal growth. All these are valuable traits that keep people healthy, make us feel valued, and make our communities a little better. Numbers often don’t reflect these.

Regardless of our numbers, our scores, our popularity, status, or the way we look; we all have value. Every single human being still deserves the decency to be shown kindness, grace, and respect.

When we do this; when we make an effort to treat others with these things, it may not change our immediate numbers or status, but it does make the world a better place. And that usually comes back around to us as we begin to create value in our products by creating value and worth in the others around us first.

We can’t change everything, but we can start with ourselves, then our communities, and little by little we can make the world a little bit better.