Tom Goldstein: What to Make of All This?

 When a giant in a profession falls there's a rush to pony up lessons learned. But as super lawyer and influencer Tom Goldstein is sentenced to six years in prison for federal tax and mortgage fraud, we might not be confident in sizing up what Goldstein should have known, should have done or should not have done. 

The collapse involves too many intersecting factors. They range from a superior intellect to the thrill of a double life to the power of addiction. There are no simple takeaways.

Maybe we should accept how complex human beings can be. In the blockbuster film "Odyssey," King Odysseus is depicted as heavily flawed. Yet, the positioning and packaging lead us to struggle to understand him - with compassion. 

In prison, like Watergate lawyer Chuck Colson, Goldstein might find a new path. Meanwhile, we could be monitoring our own behavior to put a check on our darkest human impulses. 

Career Paths? So Over. It’s about Earning a Good Living. No matter what.

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