Beware of him that is slow to anger; for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury. Francis Quarles
An American executive was taking a much-needed vacation in a Mexican coastal village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.
“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.
“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.
The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.
The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs… I have a busy and full life.”
The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”
“And after that?” asked the Mexican.
“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.” Report this ad
“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.
“Twenty, perhaps 25 years,” replied the American.
“And after that?” the Mexican asked.
“Afterwards? That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”
“Millions? Really? And after that?”
“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”
“Fairy tales do not give the child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
“Exactly what the fairy tale does is this: it accustoms him for a series of clear pictures to the idea that these limitless terrors had a limit, that these shapeless enemies have enemies in the knights of God, that there is something in the universe more mystical than darkness, and stronger than strong fear.”
The ignorant and the deluded are, I think, in a strange way to be envied. That which is not known of does not trouble us, while an imagined but insubstantial peril does not harm us. To know the truths behind reality is a far greater burden.
WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride, He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside. But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail. For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home."
We may cry out, "I'm a person, not a number," but that is useless. Indeed, we are persons only to those who know us personally. To everyone else, we are, at best, so many names, and a person's name is as much a conglomeration of meaningless sounds as a number is. In fact, since a number is more easily dealt with en masse, you are more apt not to be neglected when you are a number than when you are a name.
Comments
Søren Kierkegaard
And this is why the Beamdog forum has site rules...
StummvonBordwehr
Madam, before I get through with you, you will have a clear case for divorce, and so will my wife.
— Groucho Marx, Monkey Business
I choose the likely man in preference to the rich man; I want a man without money rather than money without a man.
Themistocles
"We're developing a new citizenry. One that will be very selective about cereals and automobiles, but won't be able to think."
“Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, the dignity, the rights of man, that state is obsolete”
“for civilization to survive, the human race has to remain civilized”
― Rod Serling
Famous dead people make excellent commentators on current events.
-- Keyes' Rules of Misquotation, Axiom 1, Corollary 1F
Wonders are many, but none, none is more wondrous than man.
-- Sophocles, Antigone
We can all sink or we all float, 'cause we're all in the same big boat.
-- Sting
Beware of him that is slow to anger; for when it is long coming, it is the stronger when it comes, and the longer kept. Abused patience turns to fury.
Francis Quarles
Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
- John LennonThere are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and statistics.
- Mark Twain (attr.)Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive but what they hide is vital.
- Aaron LevensteinStatistics is a tool, not a substitute for common sense.
- Comment in my Statistics notes from university; origin unknownTher hain’t nuthin as uncommon as common sense
— Kin Hubbard, “Abe Martin Sez”"Hard work may pay off in the long run, but laziness always pays off right now."
-ElanA thief believes everybody steals.
-- E.W. Howe
Seek not to know who said this or that, but take note of what has been said.
-- Thomas a Kempis
Jesus (Gospel of Thomas, 67)
For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
1) If you have to ask, you're not entitled to know.
2) If you don't like the answer, you shouldn't have asked.
-- Abbott's Law
"
Speak only if it improves upon the silence."
(One I use a lot when people are talking smack)Mahatma Gandhi
“Exactly what the fairy tale does is this: it accustoms him for a series of clear pictures to the idea that these limitless terrors had a limit, that these shapeless enemies have enemies in the knights of God, that there is something in the universe more mystical than darkness, and stronger than strong fear.”
—G. K. Chesterton
The ignorant and the deluded are, I think, in a strange way to be envied. That which is not known of does not trouble us, while an imagined but insubstantial peril does not harm us. To know the truths behind reality is a far greater burden.
H.P. Lovecraft
—William Shakespeare
WHEN the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
- Rudyard Kipling
I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
-- Charles DeGaulle
"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
"The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home."
"Study the past, if you would divine the future."
-- Kong Qiu (Confucius)
"Let's kill all the lawyers"
-- William Shakespeare
Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
-- Scott Adams, The Dilbert Principle
We may cry out, "I'm a person, not a number," but that is useless. Indeed, we are persons only to those who know us personally. To everyone else, we are, at best, so many names, and a person's name is as much a conglomeration of meaningless sounds as a number is. In fact, since a number is more easily dealt with en masse, you are more apt not to be neglected when you are a number than when you are a name.
-- Isaac Asimov
I'm not a number, I'm a free man!
-- Number 6, The Prisoner