In seeing the anger and the fury of hundreds of social media posts on the Clarkstown Schools United and Clarkstown Community (Uncensored) Facebook pages, you might not believe that the subject matter is the coming local school board elections. But yes, our local school board election has become a forum for conspiracy theories about what our kids are being taught and for anxiety about who may or may not go into bathrooms and locker-rooms. Even though the school board has little if any control over these issues, even though these are not the pressing issues for our community, the online debate seems to be centering on these social divisions. The posts have become increasingly disturbing with parents videoing other parents, calling each other names, and creating fake profiles to share the most disturbing of thoughts and bigotries.
As our own community is embroiled in this fight, NYTimes journalist Frank Bruni released his newest book entitled The Age of Grievance in which he critiques our culture’s obsession with being wronged. In the book, Bruni explains that our fixation on grievance has resulted in an unhealthy outrage—one that sows divisions instead of bringing people together. In constantly feeling threatened and attacked, we have become immune to compromise and cooperation. We believe the worst of each-other and vow to fight against a system that shuts us out instead of seeing the humanity of one another and working to build a system that respects and includes us all. We believe the worst of conspiracy theories and start to feel that everyone is out to get us instead of understanding our mutual concerns and believing that everyone can work together.
As Jews, we know this narrative well. After the Israelites are freed from Egypt, they complain incessantly, demanding that Moses bring them back to Egypt where at least they had food. The Israelites’ outrage becomes the very impediment to their freedom. Their obsession with grievance blinds them from what truly matters in their lives.
This attitude of feeling wronged nearly becomes the Israelites’ undoing. But fortunately, the Israelites had Moses and Moses’ leadership to counter the growing outrage.
It is Moses’ leadership which allows for the people to overcome their addiction to grievance. Instead of feeding these grievances (as many politicians in our own day seem to do), Moses focuses on a positive vision ahead – he reminds the people that they are in the journey together and that they need not make enemies of one another. Moses focuses on building community and bringing leaders together. He does not sow divisions. He does not feed grievance.
In an age of grievance, we need leaders like this – leaders who are willing to act humbly and responsibly – leaders who do not fuel our outrage but lead and mold our cohesion – leaders who do not seek to make us angrier by spreading falsehoods and conspiracy theories but eek to make us better connected so that we can do the just work of our community. Leadership matters. And in this of grievance, we need calm and humble leadership.
