I often think how fortunate I am to have received the gift of a good education. Yet, it was not until my senior year at the university that I finally learned the true meaning of the word, “education.”

By chance, this meaning came in the form of an elective, “Native American Studies.” The professor walked into the lecture hall (about 400 students) on the first day of class and declared, “The Founding Fathers of this country were all land speculators who were only concerned with making money!” He went on to say how they were motivated purely by economic reasons; all we had ever heard about freedom, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and any/all higher ideals were not their true intentions.

The professor was an attorney who took up Native American causes. He was once under surveillance by the FBI for his “subversive” teachings during the Red Scare in the 1950′s.

It wasn’t the content of what he said, delivered for shock value. It wasn’t the material of which you, I, or historians can argue, agree, or disagree. I didn’t subscribe to all his words or theories, but the overriding theme brought me the true meaning of word, “education.”

The valuable lessons I learned:

1. Question everything!

Every word written and every word spoken is colored by someone’s bias; the biases of their upbringing, experiences, beliefs, expectations, core values, and inevitably the lens from which they view the world.

Every word we have ever been spoon fed in life has been colored in some way by someone else’s bias. Therefore, it is important for us to question everything.

2. Seek out the truth!

Ask the questions, find the facts, and the answers—each of us for ourselves. This way, we can all form our own opinions based upon our own understanding and excavation of facts, rather than blindly accepting someone else’s biased words.

3. Truth is often twilight!

Very often the truth is somewhere in between. Some degree of twilight; not so strictly defined as night or day.

History is filled with stories epitomizing the power of words, writing, propaganda, and the media. The ancient Egyptians knew this and so did the Romans and Greeks. We are only beginning to see how they used this power to rewrite their own history in order to affect or change their present and future.

What will our future history look like? What will it say about us and the times we live in now? What have historians, scholars, officials, politicians, religious leaders, journalists, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, or peers stated about our past, present, and therefore, already affected the future history of our lives?

Who will write your future history? Will it be biased by those in positions of authority and respect around you, or will you write your own?

There may be no better example of using written and spoken words to affect future history than the events leading up to The Holocaust. Many people looking back have wondered, “How could this have happened?” How could the leadership of an entire country orchestrate and execute such atrocities? How could a society be brought to the point of genocide to the tune of approximately six million Jews? Could this happen again?

Unfortunately, the answer is “Yes…something similar could happen again.” That is why we all need to be vigilant, question everything, seek out the truth for ourselves, and call out bias whenever we see it—in all of its forms.

For the power of words has the ability to write and affect our future history.

When I wrote Mentor Me there were certain themes I wrote into the book (yes…my personal bias). Themes which were not readily evident with just a quick read. Yes, you can read it as a self-help, self-improvement, achievement, success, or business book and take something positive/helpful from it. Yet, when you dig deeper, and start to peel back some of the layers, you will begin to see some of the non-explicitly written themes.

I wanted the book to be about caring for others, having a positive impact on others’ lives (as well as the reader’s life), and having more patience/tolerance for others. In this sense, the religious theme, “Love Thy Neighbor” is in the book. On purpose this theme is never stated, but it is there.

I did not want this theme to encompass any one specific religion, as I believe this theme to be universally common in the core of mankind in general. I am by no means a religious scholar. I have had friends in my life of many different religions: Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Mormon, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, etc…

From what I know, and from what I have seen, the belief of being good to each other, caring about each other, and trying to live a good life, transcends religion. It seems a universal theme common to mankind and humanity.

It is with this in mind that I am reminded of the power of words to unknowingly invade the very recesses of our subconscious. After watching the news and the events which unfolded in Paris, France this week, I have seen and heard the phrase, “Islamic Terrorist,” all over the written and spoken media.

I have to admit, my subconscious has already been biased by this phrase. It has been associated with terrorist acts so often since 911, that even the mere presence of the word, “Terrorist,” by itself, automatically conjures up biased images. Why is that the case? Is anyone questioning this form of religious or racial bias?

I have never heard the words “American,” “Christian,” “Jewish,” “African,” “Asian,” “Russian,” “English,” “French,” “Buddhist,” etc…being associated with the word “Terrorist.” Have you?

In this case, I think we all need to take a step back and realize the implications of these words. It is time (and overdue) to divorce/decouple any racial or religious adjective from the word “Terrorist.”

Could the Holocaust happen again? Haven’t we already been biased by the power of words, and therefore, haven’t the beginnings already been sown for the seeds of hatred?

Be mindful of the danger written and spoken words can have on your subconscious.

Question everything! Seek out the truth! Truth is often twilight!

Be vigilant, for words power our future history…

If you have not done so already…pick up your copy of Mentor Me today!

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Warmly,

Ken Poirot

Financial Professional and Scientist of Life