Tom Palmer: Activist, Author, and Philosopher

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I enjoy challenges and, in general, I enjoy being "on the go." When teaching I get real satisfaction when someone sees something in a new light and begins to connect the dots, so to speak, and to make sense of complex matters. In my personal life, I also enjoy being with family and cats (with whom I interact regularly via Facebook Messenger when on the road) and I connect the two by knowing that when I earn money it is money that will fund the things of importance to us.

I have tried to handle setbacks as learning opportunities. I ask myself, "what should I learn from this?" Years ago I that I was being helpful in an organization by making suggestions to this person and that person, which generated a very different response from what I expected, namely resentment. I learned to be more thoughtful about how to suggest what I consider to be improvements to colleagues and to respect more the organizational structure within which they work. I also had an assistant, whom I would introduce as "my assistant." I was gently corrected by a co-worker, who suggested that that was demeaning and who suggested, instead, that I refer to this person as "my colleague." I took that to heart and I always introduce colleagues at all levels as colleagues.

I knew for many years a historian whom I admired. I had the opportunity to work with him for some years, until his death. He was humble and gentle and always found a way to identify what was positive or promising in the work of others. He had strong views and strong convictions and he was invariably polite in advancing them and in respecting how others saw matters. That did not mean that he did not believe in truth and falsehood or right and wrong, but that he tried to encourage the striving for truth and right, rather than criticizing people for error.

I have benefited from much advice over the years. I think that one of the most helpful bits of advice I received was to show respect for everyone on a team who advances the mission, who contributes to it, regardless of the nature of the contribution, and to consider them all as colleagues.

Take seriously the idea that some day you will be old and that it will be wise to take into account the interests of that old person you will likely become. That had never occurred to me when I was a teenager.