We're baaack!
In 1942, General MacArthur was compelled to make a daring escape from the Philippines to Australia, through a Japanese blockade, to escape the invading Japanese forces. When he reached Australia, he gave a famous speech, in which he said, "I came through, and I shall return". General MacArthur repeated those very words several times over the next 2 years in various public engagements, and in 1944, he did return to evict the Japanese occupiers. Words have power. Repeated, public commitment reinforces that power. It would have been relatively easy for General MacArthur to say those words "I shall return" the first time, in an act of momentary bravado. But he kept committing himself to those words over the next 2 years. I will return. I will return. I WILL return. And he said them publicly, compelling himself to be held accountable to those words. I think he kept saying it so he wouldn't find a way to conveniently forget a...