Second, as I read this - I found myself coming back to another theme, which is what seems (to me) to be our discomfort with uncertainty and expressing uncertainty.
Very few things are 100% certain, yet our public discourse is filled with absolutes.
((I agree that the related important point is that we all seem to use different definitions of the same words.)
Although a disputed origin of the word, I've always preferred the etymology of "sincere" to mean "without wax".
The origin of the word refers to unscrupulous sellers who would use wax to repair broken objects to make them look new and whole. Their guile inspired a word - sincere - to mean intact and unbroken.
Thank you, Dr. Galea, for this beautifully articulated and timely reflection. In an era dominated by performance and posturing, your reminder of the quiet power of sincerity feels not just refreshing but necessary. It’s striking how something so seemingly simple—genuine honesty—can be both radical and foundational, especially in the context of public health. Your framing of sincerity as both an antidote to cynicism and a bridge toward trust resonates deeply.
What especially struck me is the idea that sincerity signals safety—creating a space where others feel they too can be authentic. This has powerful implications beyond health, reaching into education, leadership, and even conflict resolution. I wonder, how we might institutionalize sincerity—not as a performance, but as a core value—in systems that reward metrics over meaning? And how can we train future leaders, not just to be competent, but sincerely present?
This piece is a quiet call to courage. Thank you again for naming what often goes unnamed.
First, I like the way you write.
Second, as I read this - I found myself coming back to another theme, which is what seems (to me) to be our discomfort with uncertainty and expressing uncertainty.
Very few things are 100% certain, yet our public discourse is filled with absolutes.
((I agree that the related important point is that we all seem to use different definitions of the same words.)
#PublicHealthHaiku
(In a break from haiku format)
Although a disputed origin of the word, I've always preferred the etymology of "sincere" to mean "without wax".
The origin of the word refers to unscrupulous sellers who would use wax to repair broken objects to make them look new and whole. Their guile inspired a word - sincere - to mean intact and unbroken.
Thank you, Dr. Galea, for this beautifully articulated and timely reflection. In an era dominated by performance and posturing, your reminder of the quiet power of sincerity feels not just refreshing but necessary. It’s striking how something so seemingly simple—genuine honesty—can be both radical and foundational, especially in the context of public health. Your framing of sincerity as both an antidote to cynicism and a bridge toward trust resonates deeply.
What especially struck me is the idea that sincerity signals safety—creating a space where others feel they too can be authentic. This has powerful implications beyond health, reaching into education, leadership, and even conflict resolution. I wonder, how we might institutionalize sincerity—not as a performance, but as a core value—in systems that reward metrics over meaning? And how can we train future leaders, not just to be competent, but sincerely present?
This piece is a quiet call to courage. Thank you again for naming what often goes unnamed.