Ideas in Antiquity Week 6
This week is truly one full of lessons in eyes. As a leader and just a person in general, I have endured many traumas during my short lifetime. If there is one thing I have carried with me along my journey and had beaten into my “thick skull” as my Jamaican mother always says, watch and take note of the company you keep.
As leaders, your surroundings are always important. Leadership is not just about being the pretty face and voicing other people’s opinions like a recitation. It’s all about building others up for greatness by addressing not only other people’s needs but the needs of yourself. Though this can have many definitions, here’s what I think addressing the needs of yourself as a leader can mean. If Benjamin had this advice, I feel that he could have survived and maybe even grew up to be someone great.
- Think before you do. I feel that Benjamin was too wrapped up in his youth and not thinking too far ahead. If he would have kept his mind sharp, then he would have taken the time to think ahead before stabbing a man and being forced to leave his home country of Argentina to go to Uruguay. He then continued to go against my advice by immediately following danger once he got off the ship. Anyone with a slight bit of common sense, especially a murderer like Benjamin, would have avoided any further conflict particularly if they’re fleeing from another one. I still don’t understand why he would even put himself in a situation where there are literal symbols of danger, in his case being a knife, flashing at you. I’d think that as a fugitive, he would know to not follow knives and fights but instead keep a low profile.
- Know your place. Benjamin was doing well as he spent some of his time in Uruguay learning and becoming skilled at various things ranging from raising cattle to fighting sleep. He then went against my first piece of advice AGAIN by getting involved in other people’s business. In the story, there was a shipment of rum coming in for the guy who saved Benjamin, Azevedo Bandeira. Just this dude’s name alone sounds mad scary but Benjamin was too caught up in how powerful the guy was instead of worrying about himself and his safety. Knowing his place could have honestly saved Benjamin’s life. He could have been smart and took all of his new skillsets to create a new and safer life for himself. He had the chance to change his ways and leave the past behind him but like many people I know today, he wanted to live the fast life. Benjamin made the choice to instead become a smuggler.
Backtracking for a second, I want to discuss two words: Trust and power. These are two very powerful words that can determine life or death in certain situations. Both depend on each other but when thrown out of balance, catastrophic things can happen. An example of this is the current US Presidency. As a Political Science major in these current times, I have the blessing and the burden of being able to learn as history is being made. Unfortunately, we are in a scary time of history. 2020 has proven to be a year of pure and utter disaster that is exposing everyone. I honestly feel that this is a year full of karma.
Having this story and living through this year is to me an interesting irony. We are in times where strong leaders are needed to make a change. I wish this course was available at every school in America as I feel it making a change in me. Our country desperately needs strong leaders in order to make it through these difficult times. Maybe our President can take some notes before he hopefully leaves office in a couple months.
Ironically, my next piece of advice is 3. Watch what you say. Benjamin messed up on this when he walked around Uruguay claiming that he was “worth more than all of these Uruguayans put together. Humility is a necessary trait in leadership. Now there’s nothing wrong with being confident but too much leads to a big head like my mother says. Following last night’s playground argument, or debate as everyone knows it by, I felt that President Trump was like Benjamin in a way. Both men are people who are over-confident and self-destructive. They each have big mouths that lead to their destruction/embarassment. Sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the best thing that you can do because in this life, your words can start problems and even worse, your karma.
4. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. A big part of leadership is developing a strong network. While people do change and may not be heading down the same path as you, you still must be grateful for those who help you. Without my support system, I whole heartedly know that I would not be not only the person but where I am today. Growing up in foster care, all I had to hold onto were my belongings and my big dreams. Though I wasn’t too sure where my sisters and I would end up, I remembered to always be grateful for what I had and to hold on to hope for a better future. This saved me in the end as my grandparents stepped up and saved my life physically. Without them and the family I created as I grew up, I was able to not only dream but accomplish my goals. They instilled many values in me that made me stronger and able to stand on my own no matter what.
Sadly, Benjamin didn’t have the luck I did regarding a support system. He had someone who cared enough to give him a chance but he messed that up when he befriended Suarez. Benjamin was someone who loved the nice things and power but that’s not all that matters in life. If he had thought ahead, he would have made friends with good people instead of another power hungry man like himself. True leaders are not only diverse in what they bring to the table but who they associate themselves with as well. This leads to my final piece of advice:
5. Watch who you call your friends. A person’s company defines who they are as a person, at least for the most part. Diversity is important in leadership. Without it, lord knows what the United States would be like. Although there is still work to be done, especially with the President supporting white supremacists, this nation is one filled with people of all backgrounds. This makes it easier to network and gives people the ability to learn empathy or even something new about the world. As a leader myself, I have friends from all over with various backgrounds. My support system is filled with people of various ages and different talents. I have always been someone who welcomes anyone in who is passionate and not jealous. We don’t do haters over here sis…
Benjamin sadly did the opposite of me. It’s not bad to have like-minded company but it helps to limit this. Friends often compete with one another but not all competition is good. Competing with someone who is just like you is extremely difficult as jealously often leads to betrayal, especialy when one is stepping up in power. This was evident within the relationship between Benjamin and Suarez. Both men were willing to do anything just to live a life like Azevedo Bandeira. Benjamin was able to act like him for a short time when he was able to command the Uruguayans.
What both failed to realized is that the seat at the top of the table is not the best, but the most dangerous. Leadership is not about the pretty seat. It’s all about addressing the needs of others without being selfish. It’s not about having the nicest things with a pretty lady on your side but instead being a true representation of the people you lead. These men were too focused on being the head of the table and not ensuring that their company actually had their best interests at heart.
Benjamin learned this on the final night of his life. He was enjoying his time and living it up but one knock at a door changed everything in an instant. The very man who spared his life was the one to end it. And to be completely honest, I don’t even blame him. Benjamin was someone who only thought of himself and didn’t care about anything except for how he could level himself up. Instead of being grateful to Azevedo, he instead took over the guys position and disobeyed every single one of his orders. By biting the hands of the sick man who saved his life, he ended his very own. If he had simply shown that he cared about Azevedo, he would have been spared. Benjamin’s selfishness drove Azevedo to the point where he and Suarez set him up.
Like Cinderella, the only place Benjamin was running to was to his grave. When the clock struck midnight, all hell broke loose. I felt bad for the red haired woman as she had genuine feelings for Benjamin. I know that she had a guilty conscience as she was used to help end his life although she most likely had no choice. Suarez on the other hand was completely trifling for pulling the trigger.
Suarez is my reason for advice no. 5. Fake friends are to me the worst people in the world. While there are literal murderers and psychopathic racists, fake friends are still number one on my list. They are the worst people to have in your life as they are the most dangerous. There is nothing scarier than having your enemy be the person who knows the most about you. I myself have had my own run with fake friends. I’ve called certain people “sister” that hated my guts and tried to destroy my reputation every chance they had. Although I had love for them, I was forced to severe ties in order to ensure my success and overall happiness.
If Benjamin had never be-friended this man, he could have lived. But instead of being careful, he lived care free and ended up six feet under. This story reminded me to always be careful yet empathetic. People do make mistakes but those mistakes should never end in your own demise.
It’s hard to be a leader when you can’t even wake up to see the next day. So what’s up with the next reading???? I can’t wait to see what I’ll learn this time…
