Today was a tough day for me. My old company (The Motley Fool) laid off 2/3s of it’s remaining staff. The saddest part was the lack of people even noticing.
During the first round of layoffs ‘The Wake’ got the primary story of the Washington Post style section. I went on a 14 hour drunk, 100+ Fools gathered at our local drinking hole (Murphy’s) and drank well into the night. There were tears and pain, hugging and celebration of what we’d done. We came together in our time of need and it was legendary.
I stumbled back to the office at 3am and wrote some words.
During the second round of layoffs, the one where I lost my job, we again returned to Murphy’s and came together. We drank for hours past and present Fools came back to be there for friends. Again our unity shone through.
It took me days but eventually I wrote the words.
Today I went to Murphy’s for lunch and there was scarcely a dozen Fools there. I returned after work to meet only a handful. I met my friend (Jason) who lost his job today.
We drank for a bit, but there wasn’t the large number of former Fools coming out. There wasn’t the coming together. There were no tears and pain just the inevitable marching forward.
It marks the final demise of the finest place I’ve had the honor to serve.
Life
via www.m-w.com
Main Entry: in·teg·ri·ty
Pronunciation: in-’te-gr&-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English integrite, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French integrité, from Latin integritat-, integritas, from integr-, integer entire
Date: 14th century
1 : firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : INCORRUPTIBILITY
2 : an unimpaired condition : SOUNDNESS
3 : the quality or state of being complete or undivided : COMPLETENESS
synonym see HONESTY
via Smartaz
I, but I would define integrity as good vs best.
I don’t normally go in for dictionary definitions in theological debates, but the contending definitions for integrity don’t seem to have any meaning for me. Integrity seems to me is adhering to ones set of morals.
Internal battles that started this thread are really questions of do you have trouble following the moral code you adhere to. Somehow each of us develops an intuitive moral code of what is right or wrong. Occasionally are moral code prevents us from acting in a way that would be convenient or pleasurable. Thus the desired actions is not in accord with the moral action. Integrity is the state where the moral code triumphs over desire or convenience.
I don’t have these struggles very often, but it is unclear if that means I have a moral code well suited for me or that I have a permissive moral code.
–Zafkiel
Philosophy/Religion
My point is that during times of crisis, centralized power is often seen as a necessity and, at least in the short-term, can be more effective in dealing with the immediate problems.
–coralville, http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=12691687
This comment was in regards to Nazi Germany, not in support of actions taken by the US after the 9/11 attacks.
Politics, Quote
Put in a 15 hour work day today and I’m still at work. But I’m leaving. So tired.
Life
Fundamentalism is the misuse of religion as an instrument of power for political ends.
–Taslima Nasrin, New Politics magazine
Philosophy/Religion, Politics, Quote
“I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say ‘you helped this happen.’”
- Rev. Jerry Falwell discussing the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon
Philosophy/Religion, Politics, Quote
[In regards to http://www.miami.com/herald/special/news/worldtrade/digdocs/008039.htm]
I’ve read it several times. It’s come to me a bunch of ways, each time I become more and more horrified. It is the call to arms to turn American into that which we fight. It is the call to arms to make us indistinguishable from the enemy.
As soon as men decide that all means are permitted to fight an evil, then their good becomes indistinguishable from the evil that they set out to destroy.
– Christopher Dawson
A response as we are about to undertake should not be undertaken gleefully. It should only be undertaken with sadness for what we are about to do. Only when no other option is available and our hearts are heavy for the harm we are about to cause to so many innocents. Women and children whose only crimes will have been to be in the wrong place at the wrong time are about to murdered for our vengeance.
All the flag waving and calls for vengeance sadden me, frighten me. A military action is probably needed, but it should be a rational response against those responsible not blindly lashing out because we are angry. My patriotism isn’t blindly following a symbol but in questioning to make sure that symbol still means something good.
Anything else just adds fury to our enemies. And sadness in our friends.
I’ve feared to post that for days. I’ve probably lost friends with these statements, but I have a very poignant memory. The most powerful memory I have of my father is at the Vietnam memorial, he’s crying his eyes out holding me tight and making me promise never to let it happen again. For my father I have to say something.
We are rushing headlong into it happening again and we’re doing it with blood in our eyes. Without caring who we step on and destroy to get there. We don’t care who we murder and kill as long as we feel better.
With a heavy heart for what has happened and what is about to happen.
–Zafkiel
News, Politics
Naturally the common people don’t want war… but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship.
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in every country.
– Hermann Goering, Propaganda Minister for Adolf Hitler
Politics, Quote
“An evil man is never evil in his own eyes. Once you understand that, you can kill him quickly and without hate”*
–Heinlein
(*this is not an exact quote)
Quote