The previous post made me think of this movie quote.
“You’re an interesting species. An interesting mix. You’re capable of such beautiful dreams, and such horrible nightmares. You feel so lost, so cut off, so alone, only you’re not. See, in all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable, is each other.”
Does anybody know the name of the movie?
I found the following quote on a very important man’s website. Thought I would share it here and in someway be attached to his intelligence. Thanks……
“The human animal is a beautiful and terrible creature, capable of limitless compassion and unfathomable cruelty. If you wish to find that which becomes the dividing line between mankind and other biological classifications, it rests not in brain size, dominance, or even emotional capability, but lies in the unique capacity for human beings to reflect on their actions and show regret, what is most certainly the ability to empathize, that gives them their position. All animals understand love and affection, but only man shows the propensity to place himself into the shoes of another lifeform. Losing this capability among individuals of this species reduces them below their much heralded position and readies the climate for the likely fall of man, the fall from grace.” – The Cruxshadows
I spent over 20 years of my life in an world where the mission was dependent on an expected level of discipline, I understand the expectation that General Mcchrystal tender his resignation. It is this sort of violation that has brought many a airmen, soldier, sailor and marine in front of a military judge and resulted in punitive actions being taken. Is it not therefore fair to expect that the General be somehow reprimanded as well.
I wonder however, how many other outspoken and gritty generals have done something similar and worked through it to go on and do great things. Patton’s slapping incident of the recuperating soldier has made its way into the history books and yet we all recognize him as one of life’s greatest General of all time. There are many others with some level of controversy, General McArthur’s opinions turning into demands of the president, quickly resulted in his removal. Yet his dismissal was quickly forgotten and his return home resulted in a parade attended by millions of people.
So the question is this….. Is there room in the military environment and within this civil administration for a result that would allow a great General to continue to do great things. Obviously the needs of the President to be seen as Commander and Chief are vastly important to both the civilian and military populations, it is also very likely that allowing the General to continue to serve might just be what is needed in this situation. It is fitting in our ever more tolerant society that he continue to lead, and yet might very well embolden the military troops morale and set the tone for a victory in Afghanistan.
What are your thoughts?
I have read a few articles on the subject of Apathy and some on procrastination and I believe it is the greatest hinderance to success that Americans have. Are you one of the many that have to much of either one in your life? Wikipedia defines apathy as
Apathy (also called impassivity or perfunctoriness) is a state of indifference, or the suppression of emotions such as concern, excitement, motivation and passion. An apathetic individual has an absence of interest or concern to emotional, social, or physical life. They may also exhibit an insensibility or sluggishness. The opposite of apathy is flow.[1] In positive psychology, apathy is described as a response to an easy challenge for which the subject has matched skills.
Wikipedia defines procrastination as:
Procrastination refers to the counterproductive deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. Psychologists often cite such behavior as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision.[1] Schraw, Wadkins, and Olafson have proposed three criteria for a behavior to be classified as procrastination: it must be counterproductive, needless, and delaying
For a few minutes someday, be a little introspective and review the situations where you were not successful or are still having difficulties. My guess is that you will find many instances of apathy and or procrastination. If that is the case, summon up every ounce of self-discipline that you have and extracate both of them from your life. You will be far more successful, far more happy and overall less burdened by the trappings of the situation you are in. You are in control of your success currently. Remove the apathy and procrastination and that fact will become much clear to you.
I hope that you all enjoy BarbourCentral. I am taking a step further in my effort to give the Barbour clan a place to reside on the web. The purpose for this site is to allow the members of the Barbour family to input the happenings of our family, to communicate with each other, and stay together. So please let your family (Dads, Moms, brothers, sisters, cousins, etc) know about the site and please contact me with suggestions or comments. Thanks. Scott