The "Lowly Follower"

Hey all, it's been a long while since I've written on my blog, and I've been sitting on this idea for a while, and I decided to stop being lazy and just do it.


This bit is about followers and leaders.


I looked up both words in the dictionary, and here is what it said.  A follower is

a person who follows another in regard to his or her ideas or belief; a disciple or adherent.  A leader is a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group.

I haven't lived in America for eight years, but these days, it seems to me that everyone must be a leader, and being a follower is the absolute worst thing you could be.  The messages I get from various media are that if you're a follower, then you have no direction in life, you're weak willed, and easily manipulated.  Obviously, my impression is pretty far from the definition I looked up.  But if my impressions of being a leader or follower in America happen to be true to most Americans, then I think this is wrong.  I think followers can be just as strong willed and in control of their direction in life as anyone else.


Here's an example.  Let's imagine a world-respected dating coach named John Smith.  People all over the world know who he is, they listen to his advice, and he's been on TV.  Let's say, one day, John gets a bump on the head, goes crazy, and changes his whole program.  Before, he said It's all about having a strong identity, Listening to other people, and standing up for what you want.  Now he says you need to be filthy rich; fly first class all the time; look like that really handsome guy from, I am Number Four; and walk around in a yellow plaid sport coat with pink bunny slippers.


If that happened, I can pretty much guarantee that nobody would want to listen to what John Smith has to say anymore.


Leaders and followers have a symbiotic relationship.  Followers can always choose someone else to lead them.


I think a lot of leaders in America, and I could be wrong, think that being in charge means you get "barking rights."  They can yell at their lowly underlings, and whatever they say, goes.  But here's something to think about.  I'll tell you something I learned from a friend of mine, named Matthew.


Human civilization descends from a tribal society; villages of no more than a hundred people or so.  The head of the village is the chief.  Now the chief isn't just the guy who has good plans, he's also a popular fellow.  And if he went around making people feel like shit, one day he's not going to wake up becasue someone will have dropped a big rock on his head, and no man, however powerful he may be, can defend himself while he is sleeping.


Think about that next time you find yourself in charge.