I'm not coming in as an advocate of sports gambling. I'm trying

The words of Adam Silver shine with the sharpness of clarity, for they pierce the veil of denial and confront reality as it is: “I'm not coming in as an advocate of sports gambling. I'm trying to be more of a realist to say it's going on in a massive way... and I think the right course would be therefore to legalize it and regulate it.” Here is a truth that leaders across the ages have wrestled with — that to govern well is not to cling to illusions, but to face the world as it truly exists, and to shape it with wisdom rather than fear.

The meaning of his words is simple yet profound: when a practice is vast, unavoidable, and deeply ingrained, pretending it does not exist serves no one. To ignore it is to let it fester in darkness, beyond the reach of law, justice, and protection. But to bring it into the open, to legalize and regulate, is to transform chaos into order, danger into stability. Silver speaks not as a cheerleader for gambling, but as one who understands that pretending will not halt what already thrives. His voice is the voice of a realist, who sees that wisdom often lies in harnessing power, not denying it.

History offers many examples of this principle. In the Prohibition era of the United States, alcohol was declared illegal, yet its consumption did not cease. Instead, crime flourished, black markets rose, and violence followed. By refusing to face reality, society empowered criminals. Only when Prohibition was repealed did order return, as the energy of demand was channeled into lawful commerce. Silver’s words echo this ancient lesson: that regulation is often stronger than repression, for it acknowledges the truth of human nature and works with it rather than against it.

Even the ancients understood this. The Roman Empire, vast and unruly, did not stamp out every custom of conquered lands. Instead, it absorbed them, gave them boundaries, and used them as threads in the tapestry of its might. By regulating what could not be destroyed, Rome endured for centuries. The principle was the same: when something exists in a massive way, to deny it is folly, but to govern it is strength. Silver, in his time, applies this wisdom to the world of sports gambling, knowing that control lies not in denial, but in guidance.

His words also reflect a deeper truth about human desire. People will always seek risk, chance, and the thrill of uncertainty. From dice cast in the marketplaces of Greece to wagers placed in the taverns of medieval Europe, the instinct to gamble is eternal. To pretend it will vanish is to misunderstand the soul of man. But to regulate it is to protect the vulnerable, to limit corruption, and to ensure fairness. Thus, the realist accepts human nature and shapes laws to guide it toward balance.

The lesson is one that reaches beyond gambling, into every realm of life: face what is, not what you wish it to be. Whether in governance, in family, or in the struggles of the heart, denial breeds weakness. But acceptance, joined with discipline, breeds wisdom and strength. The wise leader, like the wise soul, does not fight reality with blindness, but embraces it, steers it, and shapes it into something more just and more whole.

So let us take this teaching into our lives. Do not hide from the truths that unsettle you. Do not cling to illusions in the hope that they will shield you from difficulty. Instead, be as Adam Silver counsels: be a realist. See the world as it is — whether it be a habit, a struggle, or a flaw — and then set about to guide it, to discipline it, to regulate it, until it serves rather than destroys. For in this lies not only survival, but the dignity of wisdom, the courage of honesty, and the power to transform weakness into strength.