Sunday, May 29, 2005

What's in a name?

The number one question asked me when I meet someone new, "Are you related to the The Hankin's? " The short answer is NO.

What I have always wanted to ask is, why would you want to know? Do you want an easy way to judge me and my worth? Are you looking for a brush with fame or a handout?

This is a local phenomena because there are many Hankin's around the world. It just seems that here there are some rich ones and some poor ones.

It is not the question that bothers me so much as the idea that people need a way to figure out who someone is. We live in a culture where it is hard to establish identity. There are few personal connections. Financial institutions spend vast amounts trying to figure out who people are, they have a credit score which is their only way to know. What that really means is that we don't know who you are, so how can we trust you? Is this a reliable way to build a society?

I read today that the Bush administration is going to reevaluate the strategy on the war. What this means is that they don't know who the enemy is any more. Have we won and they don't want to tell us? Will they keep secret the truth so they can keep us in fear? They seem to want to change the name of the enemy, who will it be?

This is in memory of my father who died when I was eight. He served in both WWII and Korea. Was an Eagle Scout and believed that truth was all that mattered.

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