The Last Thing America Needs is Another Sell-Out

Monday, 30 June 2008

Written by Stephen Palmer Have you sold your birthright for a mess of pottage? For some reason, the term and concept of "sell-out" has been on my mind lately.   My definition of a sell-out is "one who forfeits, disregards, corrupts, or otherwise marginalizes their freedom, principles, talents, heritage, self-respect, relationships, and or virtue in the short-sighted pursuit of anything less, including money, power, fame, pleasure, and/or security."   The Bible provides a more succinct definition in the metaphor to "sell one's birthright for a mess of pottage."    Of course, it's easy to sit back in the position of stone-thrower and identify the low-hanging sell-out fruit in America--raunchy entertainment, Hollywood/Las Vegas glitz, glib politicians, the Enrons of business, etc.   It's much more difficult to point the finger at oneself, dig deep, and find areas where one has sold out themselves--if even just a little bit. For example (and I'm including myself in all of these examples, and yes, they may be uncomfortable): Do you stay in a job that you dislike, or at least does not provide full expression of your gifts, just for supposed corporate security or a high salary? Do you have dreams and passions that you don't pursue because of fear? Do you claim that the government should do nothing but protect unalienable rights, then turn around and accept government-funded programs such as school or home loans?  Are you discouraged by the moral decline in America, then encourage it by casually listening to common radio fodder which blatantly features pornographic promiscuity, adultery, homosexuality, and drug use, just because it's a "catchy" tune or a fun beat? (I don't think I'm being overly puritanical here considering that all of the links above feature songs on Billboard's Hot 100 list--the most listened to songs in America.) And how about the movies you watch and magazines and books you read? Are you frustrated with the national debt, while spending more than you earn in your own household? Do you do things in your private time that you would be ashamed of if anyone else knew about them? Do you praise and admire the Founding Fathers, but are unwilling to follow their example by becoming liberally educated? Do you love the Constitution, without having really studied it in depth and without having the ability to defend and support it? The list could obviously be expanded, but that's probably enough to make the point, which is that we've all sold out to one extent or in one form or another, and this is why America is struggling. We've largely sold our birthright of virtue, freedom, and true prosperity for the cheap pottage of false security, base entertainment, and the love of money.   It seems that if America were a department store, it's advertisements would read, "Selling out entire inventory of virtue! Everything must go!"   We can all find someone or some group to blame, but at the end of the day, all we can do is improve ourselves. This starts by identifying where we have sold out, the areas in our lives where we have spend time, money, effort, and energy pursuing things far less valuable than what we know we're capable of. We're better than this. America was born for greatness, and so were you and I. We were created to fly, not dumpster-dive. America--and the world at large--need each of us to rise up to our potential and claim our birthright as loving, virtuous, powerful forces for freedom and truth.   Don't be a sell-out, no matter how trivial it may seem in the moment. There's enough of that going around. You can be a standard, a pillar of strength to rely upon, a light to follow.   Virtue is the price of freedom--are you willing to pay that price and pave the way for others to follow?   Recommended Reading: Jonathan Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach The Alchemist by Paul Coelho     Stephen Palmer is a freelance writer, entrepreneur, scholar, and teacher. As a graduate of George Wythe College with a degree in statesmanship, Stephen is devoted to moving the cause of liberty worldwide. He serves on the Board of Entrepreneurs of George Wythe College.Stephen resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Karina, his son Alex, and daughters Libby and Avery. He loves reading, basketball, and canyoneering. For more information on Stephen and to contact him, visit The Cause of Liberty and subscribe to his free newsletter. Set as favorite Bookmark Email This Hits: 173 Comments (1) Subscribe to this comment's feed loquaciousmomma said: I winced while reading this, it forced me to take a better look at myself! Nicely done! I do want to say that it is ironic that the ad I am looking at on this page to the right of the article is titled "Free Government Grants for Women Only!" Is this a test? I know there must be opposition in all things but....Wow!   report abuse vote down vote up July 04, 2008 Votes: +0 Write comment Name Email Website Title Comment smaller | bigger Subscribe via email (Registered users only) Write the displayed characters Add Comment

 

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