The Cherry Tree

 

     I grew up with the George Washington fable, the one where he cuts down the cherry tree, then admits he did it even though he knows he will be punished when he tells the truth. In the story, the boy George Washington demonstrates that self-respect from telling the truth is more important than consequences.
     Adults used to say, “You could grow up to be President one day, if you _____.” They filled in the blank with phrases like “Persevere,” “Be kind,” “Earn good grades at school,” “Help those less fortunate.”
     Admittedly, as a girl, I wasn’t told I could grow up to be President, but I commandeered the ideas for myself, feeling pushed to do my best, to succeed, and to act from an ethical base.
     After years of hearing fables, I learned the basic ethic of my culture, “Truth is good,” along with other ideas:
         Equality under the law is good.
         Tolerance of differences is good.
         Intelligence and education are good.
         Hard work and humility are good.
         Self-reliance and independence are good.
         Killing is bad.
         Cheating, stealing, and amassing power are bad.
     When I chose actions outside this ethical system, I knew I was doing wrong. This is still true for me.
     Cultures recede, as with the Greeks, the Vikings, the Egyptians, and the Aztecs. And the old American culture is on its way out.
     Now, when a child is told, “You too could grow up to be President one day, if you_____,” the child understands that he or she is being urged to lie.
     The lies must be told with aplomb and self-confidence for they must be accepted, even if they contradict reality. The lies must create profit at the expense of others, without regard to laws or promises. The lies must inflate the teller and demean everyone else. The lies need not be consistent because no one will be listening except those who blindly want to believe.
     I have four grandchildren who are hearing new fables, and they will navigate life without the George Washington ethic.

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