Who Do You Want to Be in Life
Classy or Crass?
Yesterday, I watched two press conferences on TV, one held by Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and the other by Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada. The stark contrast between their leadership and communication styles prompted me to write this article.
At some point, each of us faces a defining decision—not just about what we want to do, but about who we want to be. It's a question of character. Do we want to be remembered as someone who lifted others up or dragged them down? Someone who brought light into the world or cast shadows across it?
Do we want to be classy—or crass?
This choice, though seemingly simple, shapes the way we live, lead, and connect with others. It determines how we are perceived in the present and how we will be remembered in the future.
Class Builds, Crudeness Destroys
People who demonstrate grace, humility, integrity, and empathy are more respected, effective leaders, and lead fulfilling lives. They bring calm to chaos, elevate those around them, and leave a legacy of harmony. Think of Barack Obama or Mark Carney.
Crass individuals, on the other hand, lie, divide, belittle, and bulldoze. They stir conflict instead of resolving it. They seek domination, not dialogue. Think of Donald Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene—public figures who have arguably done more to fracture public trust and erode civil discourse than to build anything meaningful or lasting. Their brand of bombast and belligerence may earn headlines and rally a base, but it corrodes the fabric of communities and institutions.
What Class Really Means
Let’s be clear: Classiness has nothing to do with wealth, social rank, or fancy clothes. True class is a set of choices made daily—how you treat the server at lunch, how you respond to criticism, how you behave when no one is watching. Class is silent strength. It's soft power. It’s the ability to be respectful to someone who disagrees with you, to admit mistakes without defensiveness, to uplift others without needing applause.
Barack Obama didn’t lead by shouting down opponents or demanding loyalty oaths. He led with calm, clarity, and compassion. He took the high road—again and again—and in doing so, reminded a fractured country what dignity in leadership looks like.
Mark Carney, meanwhile, guided both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England through turbulent economic waters—not with theatrics, but with competence, steadiness, and credibility. He didn’t need to trend on social media to make an impact. He simply did the work, did it well, and did it with integrity.
What It Looks Like to Have No Class (You Know It When You See It)
People with no class are easy to spot. They interrupt. They insult. They lie even when the truth would do. They surround themselves with sycophants and lash out at critics. Donald Trump’s public record is riddled with falsehoods, self-promotion at the expense of public trust, and relentless attacks on institutions, journalists, judges—anyone who holds him accountable. Marjorie Taylor Greene, with her penchant for conspiracy theories and personal attacks, has turned the sacred responsibility of governance into performance art for the aggrieved.
Crassness doesn’t just affect political discourse—it poisons workplaces, families, and communities. It masquerades as strength but is really insecurity in disguise.
The Ripple Effect: How We Make Others Feel
Some people walk into a room and raise the energy. Others drain it. That’s the vibe we give off, and it’s not about charisma—it’s about character.
Classy people make others feel seen, heard, valued, and safe. You walk away from them feeling hopeful, energized, and respected. People with no class leave behind emotional exhaust—confusion, resentment, self-doubt, and division. The damage they cause is often invisible but deeply felt.
Ask yourself: How do people feel after spending time with me? Better or bitter?
Why Classy People Are Happier
Here’s the kicker: classy people aren’t just nicer—they’re often happier. Studies link kindness, humility, and emotional intelligence to greater life satisfaction, stronger relationships, and better mental health.
When you treat others well, you tend to feel better about yourself. When you own your flaws, you don’t have to waste energy defending them. When you lift others up, you rise too. Barack Obama continues to mentor young leaders through the Obama Foundation, while Mark Carney now advocates for climate action and ethical finance. Their lives after power are as purposeful as their time in it.
Trump’s do-good project was launching his own cryptocurrency immediately before he was inaugurated. This quickly soared in value earning billions for the Trump family.
People with no class, by contrast, often seem consumed by resentment and fear. Their need for dominance and attention reflects inner insecurity, not confidence. Despite outward bravado, they’re often isolated, distrusted, and deeply dissatisfied.
Leadership Is Character in Action
True leadership is not about the volume of your voice but the depth of your values. It’s about listening before speaking, uniting rather than dividing, and serving something greater than yourself.
Obama and Carney exemplify this. They’ve shown that leadership grounded in respect, empathy, and ethical conviction doesn’t just inspire loyalty—it unites and gets results.
Trump and Greene offer a cautionary tale: when leadership becomes a stage for ego rather than a platform for service, democracy itself suffers.
The Legacy We Leave
At the end of the day, no one builds statues of individuals with no class—except the egoists themselves. No one looks back and says, “I’m so glad they spread lies and insulted everyone.” What we remember, what endures, is how people made us feel—how they showed up for others, how they handled adversity, how they treated those with no power.
Class isn’t perfection. It’s choosing grace when you could choose pettiness. It’s choosing to be kind, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.
So—Who Do You Want to Be?
Do you want to leave people inspired or exhausted?
Do you want to be known for bringing calm or chaos?
Do you want your name to be a source of warmth—or a warning?
Being classy is a choice. Not once, but every day. Every conversation. Every decision. Every failure and every triumph.
So choose wisely. Choose empathy. Choose integrity. Choose grace.
Choose class.
Spreading the Word
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