Robert F Kennedy’s Speech of March 18, 1968
A number of days ago I came across an excerpt from a speech given by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy on March 18, 1968, at the University of Kansas. I immediately printed it and stuck it on my ‘Inspiration Wall’ in my office.
He was on the campaign trail in the US 1968 presidential race, and that context makes these words even more amazing. Less than three months later, he was shot and killed in California. Embedded below is a video montage from the speech, and the text follows below.
“We will find neither national purpose nor personal satisfaction in a mere continuation of economic progress, in an endless amassing of worldly goods. We cannot measure national spirit by the Dow Jones Average, nor national achievement by the Gross National Product. For the Gross National Product includes air pollution, and ambulances to clear our highways from carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and jails for the people who break them. The Gross National Product includes the destruction of the redwoods and the death of Lake Superior. It grows with the production of napalm and missles and nuclear warheads…. It includes… the broadcasting of television programs which glorify violence to sell goods to our children.
“And if the Gross National Product includes all this, there is much that it does not comprehend. It does not allow for the health of our families, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It is indifferent to the decency of our factories and the safety of our streets alike. It does not include the beauty of our poetry, or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials… the Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country. It measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile, and it can tell us everything about America — except whether we are proud to be Americans.”
Robert F Kennedy’s speech from 1968 is still ever so relevant today. We can all take a great deal from this speech and consider the world we live in.
This one really hit home for me. How about you?
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Mike, that is the greatest two paragraphs I have ever read in my life. It is the greatest set of words delivered by a politician that I am yet to be exposed too. Thanks greatly for sharing. The fact that this was over 40 years ago really speaks volume and is inspiring. it is also kind of sad that the obsession with economic growth has continued and remains to be the measure of success of any populous. Maybe we should move from Gross National Produxt to Gross National Happiness of something?
Steve.
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Love it Mike. Great find. And Happy 2010 to you and yours.
Cheers
Brendon
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Thanks Steve, I knew you'd enjoy this one just as much as I did! Isn't it a shame that we don't have any political representation currently that even comes close to this?
What will it take for society to move away from measuring economic drivers as the only real comparison of success? I hope it won't take something drastic for the greater majority to see…
To reiterate a tweet of mine from earlier: “If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?”
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Thanks Brendon, and to you too mate!
What does 2010 have in store for you?
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