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STAKEHOLDER VIEW - We find ourselves today at a strange crossroads. For decades, many of us — especially here in Southern California — enjoyed the fruits of prosperity, innovation, and cultural dynamism.
On the national level, at the present time however, we feel a growing malaise, a tightening of freedoms, and a fraying of the social fabric under the pressures of authoritarianism and cynicism. Fear of threats to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; the erosion of retirement funds; and mindless tariffs have created unnecessary chaos, fear, and uncertainty. Strategies of disruption, cultural wars and division have produced clear winners — but at the expense of patriotism and genuine collective progress.
Around the world, our government has abandoned long-term allies; misguided attacks on the United States Agency for International Development are cruel and thoughtless. The prestige and moral standing of the United States have sharply declined.
Locally, we are concerned with both immediate and longer-term challenges. Many of us find ourselves prisoners in our homes, forced to upgrade our security as emboldened criminals find new ways to disarm systems and avoid capture. Despite spending billions on transportation, the broader public remains afraid to use transit, while the policy makers squabble about who should be allowed to safeguard the paying rider. Bad decision-making about the locations of rail lines and stations has made traveling around the city more difficult than it needs to be. As a result, the San Fernando Valley, Downtown, and the Westside have become more like isolated islands than an interconnected whole.
Even with billions in available funding, the lives of most homeless individuals are still not improving — often worsening — because of a lack of oversight and accountability. Balkanizing national politicians use immigration as a wedge to divide local politics, leaving unsteady prospects before the next election. Meanwhile, our infrastructure continues to crumble — broken sidewalks, potholes, streetlights in disrepair — and now even our trees are under threat. Housing remains far too expensive for young families to make the American Dream a viable goal.
Los Angeles appears rudderless, suffering from a persistent lack of leadership and vision. In years past, there was an esprit de corps instilled by courageous public officials and conscientious civic leaders. The press, once a bastion of freedom and a foundation for community pride, has surrendered to the disdain of social media. Identifying workable and cohesive solutions to our predicaments has become a Sisyphean task.
Consequently, some might say the answer is to turn away, to shield ourselves from politics and division. I disagree. I believe this is a moment not to withdraw, but to reaffirm the enduring values that make life worth living: a deep respect for well-being, a commitment to thoughtful living, and a dedication to doing right by others.
When I was born in Greece, Nazis patrolled the streets of Athens. After World War II, the Marshall Plan helped Greece rebuild its devastated infrastructure and institutions and nourished the impoverished Greeks after both the German occupation and the ensuing brutal civil war. I carried the lessons of those years with me when I became a United States citizen. Both Southern California and the United States can make huge and wonderful contributions to the world — but only if we learn to move beyond our current malaise and remember to embody a few time-honored ideas.
The ancient Greek philosopher Epictetus taught: "It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." In this spirit, our challenge is not merely to survive turbulent times, but to meet them with integrity, patience, and care for the common good.
Likewise, Aristotle reminded us that a flourishing society depends not on wealth or power, but on the cultivation of practical virtue: habits of justice, integrity, courage, generosity, and mutual respect.
In Southern California, and in every community that wishes to thrive amid uncertainty, we would do well to act locally, speak plainly, and live honorably:
- Strengthen your neighborhood and support those who make your city humane.
- Practice resilience without resorting to bitterness.
- Encourage dialogue that uplifts rather than inflames.
- Nurture stewardship over what is entrusted to you — whether that be a family, a business, a public institution, or a simple shared space
Despair is easy. Building hope — earned, practical, realistic hope — is far harder, and far more urgent.
The task before us is ancient, but it is ours anew: to hold fast to what is best in human nature, and to nurture it fiercely, one decision at a time.
(Nick Patsaouras is a civic leader and author of the book ‘The Making of Modern Los Angeles’ and a featured writer for CityWatchLA.com.)
