5 minute read
A ‘storm’ of unprecedented fury gathers on the horizon
Movie-goers undoubtedly will remember “The Perfect Storm,” a 2000 drama starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg that tells the true-life story of a commercial fishing boat that was lost at sea during the rage of a nor’easter that collided with Hurricane Grace in the fall of 1991 off the coast of Nova Scotia.
It was a movie without a happy ending, as all six crew members of the Andrea Gail perished in the storm that reportedly produced waves as high as 100 feet.
The tragedy, in addition to spawning a book and a subsequent movie, also produced a term – “perfect storm” – that has become part of our vernacular to describe a convergence of multiple events with invariably disastrous consequences.
The now oft-used term could well describe the outlook for 2024, a year that portends all sorts of ominous events occurring.
Such as a much wider Mideast conflict that erupts across the region, spreading far beyond the Israel-Gaza borders to include military combatants in a host of other countries.
Or a widening and intensification of the war in Ukraine, a Russian-provoked tragedy approaching its two-year anniversary in late February that has the catastrophic potential to trigger a nuclear conflict between two superpowers.
Or the continued rise of autocratic forces around the world, fed by assorted tyrants and demagogues seemingly bent on taking mankind to the edge of the abyss.
Or a further assault on the fundamental institutions that safeguard representative democracy, imperiling the future of free and fair elections while fueling conspiracy theories that sow distrust and contribute to political polarization.
Or an utter disregard for the concepts of civility, dignity, integrity, and honesty in political expression, trading those values and virtues for a system built on deceit, immorality, prejudice, revenge, greed, and hate.
The risks we face, of course, don’t stop there, but instead extend into the uncharted waters of emerging technologies that can reshape society for good or evil in the years to come. Dare we know where advances in the field of artificial intelligence will lead – perhaps to a world filled with understanding, promise, and prosperity or to a society plagued by misinformation, disinformation, and ill-will.
Two years ago, when we unveiled plans to create the Primerus Foundation, we did so with a central purpose in mind – to promote the cause of “good government by good people” in countries throughout the world.
The effort stands in stark contrast to the list of failed autocratic regimes which are run on a dictatorial platform that employs aggression, repression, and corruption as the primary weapons in misguided quests for political dominance.
Closer to home, we set in motion plans to elevate the standards of the American political profession through a nonpartisan approach to problemsolving, working to build cooperation and consensus where confusion and chaos now reign in a Congress marked by stalemate.
Our effort is designed to channel collective energy and ingenuity to promote a new pathway to political progress. Its focus is to offer a nonpartisan approach to problemsolving, where fresh ideas from people of character and conviction can serve as the model for getting things done in a constructive fashion.
When we were formed in 1992, Primerus set out to become an “influencer,” a positive voice for a legal profession that sorely needed an opportunity to tell the story of its vital role in peacefully resolving conflicts in civilized society.
We did so by spreading the message of the Six Pillars, which have served as the backbone of our organization for the past 32 years, promoting the importance of such principles as integrity, quality, value, competency, civility, and service.
We now have utilized those concepts to frame the mission of the Primerus Foundation, which aims to unite people from different cultures, backgrounds, religions, races, and political persuasions toward the common good. Such a coalition has the potential to be a power broker for freedom and equality on a global scale, just causes that demand a stronger voice from the legal profession.
The work has been driven in recent years by a range of idealists within the Primerus community who have proposed the formation of a nonpartisan think tank. The tool will bring together some of the finest minds in the world for the purpose of proposing workable and innovative solutions to a host of critical issues facing society. Their task will be to offer an unbiased examination of each problem and then to identify, prioritize, and select alternatives for a solution.
To achieve that goal, we welcome your ideas and participation in what could be the beginning of a transformational change in the way our governments operate.
The time has come when something bold must be done to end the vicious cycle of partisan bickering. Instead of scorching the earth between us, let’s try an altogether different approach that features a willingness to find some common ground to make the world a better place for current and future generations.
Best regards,
