“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility
that comes with freedom.”
(Bob Dylan)
Houston, We Have a Responsibility Problem
Freedom is the ultimate power. The ability to choose one’s destiny and pursue your own prosperity has always been the basic human dream, and its development into a recognized human right is among the greatest achievements of the last 500 years.
Freedom isn’t free, however. Not only was it bought and paid for by the blood and sacrifice and teamwork of our ancestors, freedom still demands a payment from all of us who demand it. That cost? Responsibility.
If I’m free to make my choices, then logic entails I’m responsible for all those choices.
With freedom comes responsibility, right? Isn't that a message, a truism, we heard as kids? I know I did. Growing up in Houston, Texas, I must've heard that speech from a dozen adults, and from my parents a dozen times.
But is it true?
Unfortunately, not always. History has plenty of examples of people cheating their way out of that basic life principle. From dictators rigging elections to bankrupt bankers getting bailouts & bonuses, some cheaters have abused their freedom to the detriment of others, and then not only escaped any responsibility for it, they even found a way to get paid for it!
We all rage against these violators from a distance. But what about when it’s closer to home (or your hometown?). Unfortunately, this year has given me the chance to find out. In January 2020, yet another example of people misusing their freedom and escaping responsibility came to light—one that's left this Houston native disenchanted, disgusted, and just plain sad.
Last month, the Houston Astros baseball team was found guilty of cheating their way to the 2017 World Series championship. This was a team that walked into every game with huge advantages over every team it faced—more talent, better management, and the most sophisticated data analytics system in all of sports. And yet, despite all those advantages, this team believed it could not win without one more—they needed to electronically steal the other teams’ pitching signs so their hitters could know what kind of pitch was coming.
This was a team liked by almost every baseball fan, especially their diminutive, lovable second baseman, Jose Altuve, who happened to win the MVP award that year. This was also the team I’d been waiting for my whole life. On summer mornings back in the 1980s, my mom used to drop us preteens off at the amusement park, Astroworld. We'd play there all day and then walk across the freeway to the Astrodome next door. We’d then buy $2 outfield seats and watch the game until 10pm, when someone’s parent would come pick us up. Those days are among my favorite childhood memories.
Those Astros had some good teams, with some great players, but none of those teams ever won a championship. That didn’t happen until three decades later, when I watched them celebrate after winning Game 7 of the World Series in 2017, sitting next to my own teenage son. It was my single happiest moment as a lifelong sports fan.
And in January we all found out it was a lie.
Since this all came out, the fallout has been punishing…for some. The team was fined and forced to give up future draft picks, and their top two leaders, their President and their Manager, were suspended for an entire year. The Astros owner Jim Crane then fired both those men immediately. Two other managers of other teams were also fired, for they were either coaching or playing on that 2017 Astros team.
The reputational fallout has been worse, though. My beloved Astros are no longer beloved; they are now the most hated team in all of American sports. And as such, this 2020 season promises to be unlike any we’ve ever seen. Wherever they go, my former beloved Astros will be jeered mercilessly, interrogated endlessly, and scrutinized with impunity.
But guess what? They’re still recognized as the 2017 World Champions. None of the other players have been punished in any material way. Their championship rings? Still theirs. The banners around the ballpark celebrating them as legitimate champions? Still there. The incredible financial windfall that always accompanies players after winning it all? Still flowing in, and most likely, still earning interest.
Their WS title led to significant financial gain for themselves, as an organization and as individuals, which could have gone to the other teams & players. The Astros cheating therefore changed careers of pitchers who performed worse than they might have, had the Astros not known which pitch was coming.
Former Major League pitcher Mike Bolsinger is suing the Astros for this very reason. After the cheating Astros lit up Bolsinger for 4 runs in just a few minutes, he was sat down by his team and never played again. To his enormous credit, Bolsinger is not suing to reclaim any funds for himself, though. He simply wants the $31 million payout to the organization to be given to various charities.
Still, Major League Baseball has handed out its final judgment, and the 2017 World Series winners will always remain the Houston Astros. Once again, we see that cheaters can abuse their freedom and then escape responsibility. So it’s not always true—freedom does not always lead to responsibility.
But you know what IS true? The opposite. Responsibility DOES lead to freedom. Always. Taking responsibility for one’s actions is the quickest and simplest way to experience more freedom.
Freedom from shame.
Freedom from constant ridicule.
Freedom from the knee-jerk defensive posture all the players will carry with them the rest of their lives every time someone doubts the legitimacy of their success.
Yesterday, in their first public news conference since their cheating came to light, the Astros came out and asked for forgiveness. Altuve, their beloved leader and captain, spoke for less than a minute, saying they all feel remorseful. Now, he said, they just want to move forward. Owner Jim Crane apologized profusely, and promised it will never happen again.
But then Crane said something that threatens to drown out everything else. He actually stated the team does not believe their cheating altered the outcome. The organization still believes they’re the deserving champions. With a straight face, he said “Our opinion is, you know, that this didn’t impact the game. We had a good team. We won the World Series, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Then why cheat? And why apologize? Why ask for forgiveness?
I don’t think they’re really asking for forgiveness as much as they’re seeking legitimacy. Acceptance. Validation. Permission to move on while still retaining their ill-gotten victory.
Irresponsibility does not lead to freedom.
If they were totally serious about asking for forgiveness, they’d take total responsibility. They would turn in their rings, remove the banners, and stop claiming to have won a championship in 2017. Then they’d dedicate themselves this whole year to winning their first legitimate title.
Crane immediately acted to fire the two suspended leaders, citing a desire to quickly move beyond the scandal--if he wanted a true clean slate, he'd erase their illegitimate crown.
Can you imagine the respect that would come their way? Can you imagine the positive fallout if Altuve had walked up to the podium yesterday, taken off his championship ring, and stated, “I don’t deserve this, and so I don’t want it. What I do want is to restore your trust, so I promise you will never see someone more dedicated to earning a deserved championship ring than when you watch me this year.”
That would be legendary. And it would create a legacy of responsibility we so desperately need in our public figures.
And then my beloved Astros would be free to play baseball again, to choose their own destiny and pursue their own prosperity, without compromising anyone else’s.
But that’s not what we got. Instead, we got one more reminder of the primary crisis in the 21st century: Powerful people having all freedom, and no responsibility.
[this is an excerpt from my upcoming book, RADICAL RESPONSABILITY, so I'd love to hear any feedback!]
Peace begins with a pause,
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