One of the things parents hopefully do is to teach their kids accountability. You make a mistake, you own up to it, and you either fix it, move on, and/or presumably learn from it. So why can’t adults here do the same?
We see errors being made, or we see issues kicked down the road like rusty cans, and no one seems to say “my bad”. It’s always “the system”, or things just manage to occur, as if human decisions (or often- indecision) have nothing to do with it. Come on, even Michael Jordan missed over half the shots he took. You missed, admit it. And while the pandemic surely complicates everything, the list of issues unresolved here pre-dates pandemic-onia 2020/2021.
Where to start? TMT, economic diversification efforts, upgrading public education, the Falls of Clyde, Lanikai and Laniakea parking issues, Stairway to Heaven, Red Hill, the Waikiki Natatorium, the HART project, homelessness, the brain drain, an alternative leeward O`ahu access road, truly affordable housing, sustainable living wages, plus 20 other issues you know of that pop up and disappear like the Whack-A-Mole game… the issue/project/conundrum fades from the headlines, then crops up again, with a new pledge to form a committee, review board, provide an environmental impact assessment, open up neighborhood hearings or… well, you know the drill. Just too much humbug to act on things that have been nagging us for years. Accountability? Repercussions? Consequences to inaction? Perhaps entropy will ensue.
We witness vapid biennial campaign promises or pseudo-efforts to tackle issues over and over. Decision-making can be tough and even unpopular in many cases. But at the end of the day, year, or decade, some action is surely better than none. A local consumer base grows numb, weary, and, and apathetic while leaders, er… managers- those hired or elected to make difficult choices- simply move on, sans movement.
Perhaps it’ll change in 2022. Maybe people will take decisive action needed on myriad issues locally, will truly lead versus simply maintain. Not making decisions on an item is actually a form of decision-making, albeit not a very exemplary way to do things. How refreshing when someone takes over a project, and says “here’s what we’ll do… now” and then does it, or says, “my bad, but here’s how we’ll solve this moving forward.” What a great lesson for kids- and adults- that would be in 2022.
Think about it…