Dr. Ben Carson
In this episode: How does a kid go from living in a rundown tenement, performing at the bottom of his class, to becoming a Yale-educated, renowned neurosurgeon and serving as U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development? Dr. Carson credits much of his success to a wise and persistent mother, a TV quiz show, and a quality education. He shares his belief in the power of prayer and affirms, “The person who has the most to do with what happens to you in life is you.”
In a heartfelt exchange with Chancellor Hance, Dr. Ben Carson, once the esteemed Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, delves into the tapestry of his life, weaving a narrative of resilience, ambition, and profound transformation. From the humble beginnings of a troubled childhood in Detroit and Boston, where divorce and discovery of betrayal tore his family apart, Carson's tale is one of overcoming. Guided by his mother's unwavering belief in the power of education, despite her own educational limitations, Carson and his brother embarked on a journey from the depths of academic despair to the pinnacles of scholastic achievement. Their mother's unconventional mandate – to read and not to succumb to the idle pastime of television – became their ladder out of ignorance.
Carson’s academic path took a serendipitous turn influenced by a TV game show, leading him to Yale, and later, carving a niche for himself in the field of neurosurgery at the University of Michigan. His narrative is peppered with moments of serendipity and divine guidance, as he transitioned from a budding psychiatrist to a pioneering neurosurgeon, eventually securing a position at Johns Hopkins that seemed preordained by a higher power. Carson’s recounting of his groundbreaking work in pediatric neurosurgery, his innovative techniques that saved lives and reshaped futures, are told with a humility and grace that belies the enormity of his accomplishments.
Yet, it’s Carson's foray into the political arena that adds a complex layer to his story. Once celebrated as a global icon of success and benevolence, his decision to embrace conservatism marked the onset of a starkly contrasting phase in his public life. Carson reflects on the irony and the societal schisms that have painted him as a pariah in some circles, simply for advocating self-reliance, the debunking of victimhood, and the pursuit of the American dream untainted by political correctness.
Amidst these reflections, Carson introduces the American Cornerstone Institute, a beacon for his ongoing mission to realign America with its foundational values: faith, liberty, community, and life. Through this initiative, he aims to ignite a return to principles he fears the nation is veering away from, advocating for a collective realization of America’s identity not just as a place, but as an idea – one of freedom, opportunity, and unity in diversity.
In this dialogue with Chancellor Hance, Carson's story unfolds as a testament to the enduring spirit of the American dream, challenging narratives of division and despair with a narrative of hope, resilience, and the unwavering belief in the power of individual agency and divine providence.
