I am an optimist. Maybe it’s how I am wired. I always look at the upside. I love risk. I love building things. I believe most people are generally kind and want to do the right thing.
Anyone over 60 will tell you age changes your perspective. The majority of my life I have tried to do the right thing. I’ve given back and served as a Chair as several non profits. I believe that those who have had financial success should help impact those who have not been as fortunate.
Being an entrepreneur in the cannabis industry has changed my entire perspective. I think I preferred living in my own bubble of belief. Getting an inside look at how government operates (especially during the Trump years) has made me incredibly cynical.
Maybe it’s the endless poor decisions or the lack of accountability, but I think it comes down to trust. I don’t trust anything our Government does. Most decisions don’t seem to be made on pragmatic grounds, but on who writes the biggest check and who scratches someone’s back, regardless of the outcome. Growing up, I lived in the DC area, and then it was an honor to work for the Government. I wonder why anyone would want to do that now?
This summer was extremely cathartic. Maybe it is getting older and realizing I’ll soon be a Grandparent. Or maybe I’m finally opening my eyes to the reality of the world. My optimistic bubble worked for me for a long time.
As people get older, they tend to be more philanthropic and give back in many ways, but as I enter this next phase of life, I am feeling the need to be more selfish. Focusing on me and my desires vs trying to help make change. All the effort I have made, and I wonder: did I really accomplish any change?
I watched the Gloria Steinem show on Netflix called Famous Last Words. Seeing all the impact she made, only to watch it all be rolled back, must have been painful. She was a trailblazer for women’s rights, rights that we should have always had, but for some reason we don’t, and it appears to be getting worse.
I’m not walking away from the, and I plan to grow Gotham as much as I can, but it has become clearer to me every day that no matter how much I try to do the right thing, it doesn’t seem to matter, particularly in the cannabis industry.
I know this doesn’t sound like my usual upbeat, positive attitude, but being in the thick of legal battles that should never have happened has changed me. For better or worse, it has definitely made me a cynic. I prefer optimism.
