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Rules of the playground

Posted: October 19, 2009 at 12:15 PM CST

The other day, I overheard my four-year-old son and a friend bickering about who would ask me if they could go to the playground. They both wanted to go, and both would benefit by a trip to the playground, but each one wanted credit for being the one to think of the plan. They spent so much time and energy arguing about it that their window of opportunity to play closed and it was time for his friend to go home.

Afterwards, I had a discussion with my son about getting along with others. While I was attempting to give him a lesson in how to be diplomatic and work as a team, I quickly realized how easily our conversation could end with a cliché such as “do as I say, not as I do.” I think most of you can relate. It was an eye-opening experience.

As adults we often get so caught up in our own agendas that we don’t realize how childlike we may be acting. The ethanol industry needs to remain a united force to promote its message - we can produce clean, renewable fuel in our own country which will lessen our dependence on foreign oil and create jobs for thousands of our citizens. In-fighting and power matches will do nothing to help the industry; it will only hurt it. There are many opposing industries who watch the ethanol industry like hawks, just waiting to swoop in and expose its weaknesses in order to destroy it. A divided industry opens the door to attacks and lessens the effectiveness of its messengers. If we can’t agree on what the industry’s biggest issues are and what needs to be done to overcome them, why should anyone else listen?

The industry is huge and I’m not implying that getting everyone to agree is as easy as solving a preschoolers’ dispute, that’s for sure. But the core principle is the same - learn to share and cooperate, or no one will get to play.

-Kris Bevill