Humble people and cultures know intuitively there is no perfect good. Some cultures guard against the very idea of human perfection for spiritual and or mental health reasons.  Truly resilient cultures also tend to cultivate a dry, more often than not, kind sense of humor to absorb the shock of the imperfect societies in which they live.  I might add here sarcasm is not humor, but rather falls into the realm of vitriol. Vitriol’s archaic definition is sulfuric acid, and the modern definition is cruel and bitter language. 

I am offering quotes from a man named Joseph Mujica, former President of Uruguay. Jack Nicas, who wrote an article about him in the New York times said: He was the folksy president of Uruguay who had shunned his nation’s presidential palace to live in a tiny tin-roof home with his wife and three-legged dog.  Mujica’s legacy is a complicated mix of 15 years in prison, and playing a major role as President in helping Uruaguay become “one of the world’s healthiest and most socially liberal democracies”.

The sense of good in this man comes out of his mouth clearly at the end of his life as he is battling cancer. His good is riddled with imperfection and you may not be able to line up with all his beliefs, but imagine how it would feel to your sense of good to hear these quotes from our own candidates for power these days. These quotes come from the Nicas’s article: How to be Free: Lessons from a Philosopher President.

“There is only one life and it ends. You have to give meaning to it. Fight for happiness, not just for wealth.”

“Because life is beautiful. With all its ups and downs, I love life. And I’m losing it because it’s my time to leave. What meaning can we give to life? Man, compared to other animals, has the ability to find a purpose. Or not. If you don’t find it, the market will have you paying bills the rest of your life.  If you find it, you will have something to live for. Those who investigate, those who play music, those who love sports, anything. Something that fills your life.”