How Do We Define Greatness?

by Rev. Dave Dunn

How Do We Define Greatness?

Octavia Butler’s 1998 novel “Parable of the Talents” shows a dystopian 2032 America beset with climate collapse, lawlessness, starvation and anarchy. A US Senator runs for President (a figurehead position at this point) promising to “Make America Great Again” based upon a religious fundamentalism of re-enslavement of people and religious pogroms to cleanse the country of those who don’t belong to a strand of a particular faith. 

Does this sound a bit familiar?

Just what does make a country “great” anyway? 

I know how our President measures greatness; and it’s the same way he measures everything else….$$$$!!!

But seriously, what makes a country “great”?

Is it based on GDP? Might it be based upon how many of its citizens vote? Or what kind of healthcare is provided (if any)? Or how it cares for its most vulnerable? Or maybe it’s inversely proportional to the extent of income inequality? Or how many people make a living wage?

The U.S. would surely score high marks in all of these categories, right? 😊

 I asked chtGPT  “What is the list of the top ten greatest countries?” 

Here’s the result:

There isn't a universally agreed-upon list of the "top ten greatest countries," as what makes a country "great" can vary depending on the criteria being considered, such as quality of life, economic power, education, healthcare, or even cultural influence. However, various rankings and surveys often highlight countries based on specific factors.

Some common rankings that evaluate countries in different areas include the Human Development Index (HDI), World Happiness Report, and Global Power Index. Countries that frequently appear near the top in these rankings include:

1. Norway – Often ranked highly in terms of HDI, quality of life, and social equality.
2. Switzerland – Known for its strong economy, healthcare system, and quality of life.
3. Denmark – Regularly at the top of the World Happiness Report and famous for its welfare state.
4. Sweden – Offers high standards of living, progressive policies, and good social support systems.
5. Finland – Frequently ranks first in education and happiness.
6. Canada – Known for its multiculturalism, high quality of life, and stable economy.
7. Germany – An economic powerhouse in Europe with a high standard of living and strong infrastructure.
8. Australia – Recognized for its quality of life, education, and healthcare systems.
9. Netherlands – Famous for its excellent social policies, progressive values, and quality healthcare.
10. New Zealand – Known for its natural beauty, high quality of life, and strong social welfare system.

Wait a minute! Something must be wrong! There must be a mistake. Most of these countries have bad weather so how can their citizens be happy? And the United States didn’t even make the list! 

…..to be continued next month…

Nurture our spirit. Strive for Justice. Transform the world. 

Dave

P.S. In the “Parable of the Talents” novel, US Senator Jarret wins the Presidency…yet his tenure as Commander in Chief is an abysmal failure and he ends up in disgrace.