The Interview Game

The Interview Game -- There's an interesting exercise making its way around the blogosphere. "The Interview Game" consists of a process of volunteering to answer five questions posed by someone who has done so themselves. The questions can change along each link of the interview chain. I came across it on Dave Pollard's How to Change the World blog. Here are the five questions that Dave sent, along with my answers:

1. What one thing do you most hope to be remembered for after you die?

Nothing big; merely for having helped (whomever in whatever way) more than harmed, and for having been a loving husband, son, brother, and uncle.

2. What do you think is the single greatest threat to the survival of the world today..?

Rigid thinking that doesn't allow for real dialogue, nor accept scrutiny of underlying assumptions behind opinions or beliefs.

...and what do you think is the greatest hope?

The fact that children are still being born, bringing new hearts, minds, and possibilities with them.

3. What single life lesson do you think is most important for young people to learn?

That "shit happens," (despite all the efforts of today's parents to over-protect children from real life) and that 99% of the time, they can survive with what is important, and more, if they take responsibility for themselves.

4. Of all the people alive today, who do you think would make the best President of the US? Why?

Since David's second question was really two, I really wanted to blow this one off, but in the spirit of the exercise...Jimmy Carter, largely for reasons related to the answer to the third question; the best of us are capable of learning from experience. He's been there, he's had time to seriously think about what he did or did not do the first time around and can therefore surround himself with appropriate advisors for today, he's become a true, thoughtful leader that is respected on the international stage, and he is, from what I can tell, someone driven in no small measure by compassion for others.

5. If you had a million dollars, what would you spend it on?

What I'm spending it on now - my homes and my retirement plan. Now if you're talking about an extra, additional mil, after setting my wife up in a business of her own, and a few toys for myself, the rest would go to travel and learning about other cultures. (Hey, you expected something less selfish? Sorry to disappoint you.)

If you choose to participate in The Interview Game, and ask me for five questions, here are the rules you should post on your website or weblog along with your answers:

THE RULES
1. Leave me an email, saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I will respond; I’ll ask you five questions.
3. You’ll update your website with my five questions, and your five answers.
4. You’ll include this explanation, and acknowledge me as the interviewer.
5. You’ll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed.