[4getmenot]

Is america full of more followers or leaders?

k

[another_someone]

You have not said how the experiment with the car keys went?

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot
Is america full of more followers or leaders?

There was a saying that my mother used to say from when she was in the Israeli army – and army cannot be full of generals – in other words, there is no point in having leaders unless you have a substantial number of followers.  In any group of people, there will always be a few leaders  and many followers.  If there were no leaders, or if everyone tried to be a leader, there would simply be anarchy.

George

[moonfire]

4getmenot...what exactly do you mean here?  I agree with George on his standpoint here..and in order to be a good leader, one must be a good follower...hmmmm, just some food for thought...but please expound if this is not what you are talking about...are there examples that you could share about leaders that you think they are more or less followers??

"Lo" Loretta

[Grecian]

I was told earlier this week that I was a follower,I didn't think too much about it but I hope it wasn't meant as a criticism.

Love you lots.

Helena  xxx

[another_someone]

OK, to clarify a little of what I meant.

To me, a leader is one who takes responsibility, and provides direction for others.

Firstly, if there are no others, then who does he lead?

Secondly, it must also be remembered that a leader also serves those he leads, and if those who follow his decide he is no longer leading them where they wish to go, then the leaders services can be disposed of.  In fact, leadership is a very volatile position, and most leaders have a very short time in the role of leader.

Leadership is also contextual.  A ship's captain may lead a crew while he is aboard his vessel, and yet on land he may serve others.

George

[another_someone]

Ofcourse, going back to 4getmenot 's original question – it is often remarked upon many western societies, of which the USA is the premier, that everyone wants to be a leader, and no-one wants to follow anyone else's lead.  But ofcourse, if no-one is willing to follow your lead, then you can never really be a leader.

Whether this insistence that no-one should follow another indicates an inability in the modern world to appreciate the value of providing service to others, or whether it shows an inability to find anyone who is of a calibre of leadership that others would willingly follow, is open to opinion.

George

[4getmenot]

quote:Originally posted by another_someone

You have not said how the experiment with the car keys went?

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot
Is america full of more followers or leaders?

There was a saying that my mother used to say from when she was in the Israeli army – and army cannot be full of generals – in other words, there is no point in having leaders unless you have a substantial number of followers.  In any group of people, there will always be a few leaders  and many followers.  If there were no leaders, or if everyone tried to be a leader, there would simply be anarchy.

George

I tried it and it did not work the first two times, i movred just a bit closer and it did....but the funny thing is..is that before i moved closer i tried it again under the chin and it DID work....

k

[4getmenot]

quote:Originally posted by another_someone

You have not said how the experiment with the car keys went?

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot
Is america full of more followers or leaders?

There was a saying that my mother used to say from when she was in the Israeli army – and army cannot be full of generals – in other words, there is no point in having leaders unless you have a substantial number of followers.  In any group of people, there will always be a few leaders  and many followers.  If there were no leaders, or if everyone tried to be a leader, there would simply be anarchy.

George

Your mom was in the army??? that is pretty cool...so was my grandmother....i thaught it was strange for thier era, but i hear more and more of those who were enlisted at that time..(speaking of women of course)

k

[4getmenot]

quote:Originally posted by moonfire

4getmenot...what exactly do you mean here?  I agree with George on his standpoint here..and in order to be a good leader, one must be a good follower...hmmmm, just some food for thought...but please expound if this is not what you are talking about...are there examples that you could share about leaders that you think they are more or less followers??

"Lo" Loretta

well like the inventors and consumers....someone can start a trend(leader) and alot of people follow it, and spun from that there seem to be numerous people who then start another trend(more leaders) and so on...there are almost as many leaders as followers it seems..and i am not only speaking about certain markets or just consumers and inventors etc..i mean with everything in society....which is more...leader or follower in your opinion?

k

[4getmenot]

quote:Originally posted by another_someone

Ofcourse, going back to 4getmenot 's original question – it is often remarked upon many western societies, of which the USA is the premier, that everyone wants to be a leader, and no-one wants to follow anyone else's lead.  But ofcourse, if no-one is willing to follow your lead, then you can never really be a leader.

Whether this insistence that no-one should follow another indicates an inability in the modern world to appreciate the value of providing service to others, or whether it shows an inability to find anyone who is of a calibre of leadership that others would willingly follow, is open to opinion.

George

exactly...USA was a leader back in the day, and all the other countries wanted to folow our lead and be like us but it seems now that we have taken a turn and got a bad rap and no one wants to follow us anymore.

k

[moonfire]

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot

quote:Originally posted by moonfire

4getmenot...what exactly do you mean here?  I agree with George on his standpoint here..and in order to be a good leader, one must be a good follower...hmmmm, just some food for thought...but please expound if this is not what you are talking about...are there examples that you could share about leaders that you think they are more or less followers??

"Lo" Loretta

well like the inventors and consumers....someone can start a trend(leader) and alot of people follow it, and spun from that there seem to be numerous people who then start another trend(more leaders) and so on...there are almost as many leaders as followers it seems..and i am not only speaking about certain markets or just consumers and inventors etc..i mean with everything in society....which is more...leader or follower in your opinion?

k

well k, it is not about what is more...what is important here is who would be a good follower or who would be a good leader...we have to choose who will be which...us, American people choose poorly sometimes, so we get what we have dished out on our plates sometimes...as for trends...totally different than people..

"Lo" Loretta

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot
Your mom was in the army??? that is pretty cool...so was my grandmother....i thaught it was strange for thier era, but i hear more and more of those who were enlisted at that time..(speaking of women of course)

In Israel, all women until they are married, first go through military training, and then stay in the military reserve (just as all men), serving one month each year.

They were in any case strange times.  My mother, a Jew living in Hungary during the second world war, lived through the Holocaust, seeing many family members lost.  Then she lives through the ruination of her then country – Hungary, where in the post war months there was a total breakdown of civil society.  She then started with nothing afresh in Israel.  She also has some tales to tell about some of the carelessness of military training, and life in general amongst people who at the time saw themselves as pioneers, and the number of unnecessary deaths there too.  It was a time when life was cheep.

In hindsight, it may all seem cool; but that is not to say that I would have wished to have lived through it all (but maybe I have grown up too soft).

George

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot
well like the inventors and consumers....someone can start a trend(leader) and alot of people follow it, and spun from that there seem to be numerous people who then start another trend(more leaders) and so on...there are almost as many leaders as followers it seems..and i am not only speaking about certain markets or just consumers and inventors etc..i mean with everything in society....which is more...leader or follower in your opinion?

Actually, inventors and trend setters tend to be very different people (although there are some exceptions to this).

Most inventors invent simply for the reward of exploring new ideas.  The trend setter is usually someone who spots the marketing opportunity of someone else's invention.

But as you say, fashions and consumer leadership is very ephemeral, so you can have many leaders over time, but that is because one leader only stays in place as a leader for a very short period of time.  At one time, there can only every be a small number of leaders, but if those leaders do not remain a leaders for long, then there is the opportunity for others to take on the leadership role.

There is also a third group of people whom you have not mentioned – the guy who neither takes his lead from another, nor seeks to lead others.

Ofcourse, all of these are idealised positions.  Someone who may be a trendsetter in clothing fashion may be buying the latest and most fashionable trend in gadgets – so they may at once be setting one fashion while following another.

George

[moonfire]

George, that is so sad...I am sure your mother has seen a lot...bless her heart!

"Lo" Loretta

[4getmenot]

George...do not think anyone can be "too" soft, you are however very insightful...That is a very sad tale though and i can really respect your mom for what she has had to endure..

k

[4getmenot]

why is it a law here that we have to drive within our lane on the road, but yet in other countries it is mearly a suggestion?

k

[another_someone]

quote:Originally posted by 4getmenot

why is it a law here that we have to drive within our lane on the road, but yet in other countries it is mearly a suggestion?

k

The thing that baffles us Europeans is why in America you are allowed to overtake on the nearside lane – in any European country, you are only allowed to overtake in the outside lane, thus ensuring that the outside lane should normally never be running slower than the nearside lane (sometimes in very congested traffic this breaks down).

Each country has its own motoring laws, some of which seem most peculiar in other countries.

George

[4getmenot]

very much so....it is kind of scary if you think about it..especially when you or someone else is in the foriegn country and "driving"

k