Basking Instead of Burning

Ever since humanity became able to produce fire, we have been enamored with burning. In the physical sense, we burnt wood. When that no longer was deemed sufficient, we dug into the earth to extract flammables such as oil, gas, and coal.

As a means of punishment and in battle, we have burned people at the stake and with flamethrowers. Certain monks have made protest by self-immolation.

Metaphorically, we have carried our obsession with burning to the management of enterprises. Venture capitalists are concerned with burn rates, incessant hard work often results in burnout, and people are excommunicated from companies by being fired.

Instead of burning through people, wouldn’t the world be best served if we allowed people to let their light shine? That is, by being inspired instead of being spent, can we see the global benefit of encouraging people to be caring, creative, and to use their passions to perform at their optimum, to fulfill themselves and enthusiastically contribute to the success of the ventures to which they lend their talents?
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Pure energy comes from above, not by digging up and incinerating the substance within.