The Inefficiency of Manners

“Now, now my good man, this is no time for making enemies.” - Voltaire (1694-1778), while on his deathbed in response to a priest asking that he renounce Satan.

Assertion of the day: Openly adversarial relationships can be healthier than the kind where you only pretend to get along.

This entry was inspired by my house-mate who is incapable of expressing what he really thinks and by today’s encounter with the realtor.

Consider it — how many times have you been in a situation where you really disliked someone but it was more politically correct to mask it behind a guise of polite manners? How much lost productivity in group meetings resulted because everyone tipped-toed around the real issues?

How dishonest are we with ourselves and others when we conceal our true emotions?

Most importantly, how much pain would you have saved yourself if you’d chewed your roommate out instead of letting him or her getting away with bloody murder?

We don’t all have to always be friends.

Sometimes, it’s better not to be.

May 5th, 2005 in Journal |