“As much as we need a prosperous economy, we also need a prosperity of kindness and decency.”

—Caroline Kennedy, American author, attorney, and diplomat

Image of a large church towering over a city

Image from Unsplash by Matthew Feeney

In ancient times, and even into the 1800s, the tallest buildings almost anywhere in the world were usually churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, or other spiritual centers.

In his book, The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell explains that making these buildings the tallest pointed to the society’s priorities and core values, which included fundamental human decency and kindness.

Today, the tallest buildings across the world are almost always business buildings, demonstrating the economic priorities of wealth and material achievement.

EXERCISE:

What does leading a prosperous life mean to you? How would infusing even more kindness and decency benefit you and your personal and professional communities?