Applied Wisdom

Wisdom Anecdote

I read the following two anecdotes in Huston Smith's classic work - The World's Religions.

He wrote them when discussing Confuius' attempt to instil stories and legends of moral quality witin the fabric of society.

#1 - The King asked: "What would you say of the person who is liked by all his fellow townsmen?"..... "That is not sufficient", was the reply. "What is better is that the good among his fellow townsmen like him, and the bad hate him".

#2 - The Master said: "The well bred are dignified but not pompous, the ill bred are pompous bt not dignified.

 

 

WHAT DEFINES US ?

 

It is the tough decisions that define who we are.

 Who we are is the example we set for our children and those that look up to us.

 The following is an excellent Jerusalem Post article about such a dilemma written by one of the editors.

 http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=240974

What was the last tough decision you made?

 

Dr Mann is a Clinical Psychologist and Business & Personal Coach, who helps young adult males,  parents,  and adults in mid-life achieve positive goals.  www.morrismann.com

"Be A Man"

Being a man means you have to earn respect from others by proving yourself. 

The standards descriptions of male ego to reach such achievments are men being competitive, assertive, confident and even cocky.

But the question is whether the changing culture to encourage men to be more "in touch with their emotions" will influence men's choices and priorities. Will men care less about honor and respect earned though accomplishment and long hours of dedication?  

In the past men wereconsidered to be  out of touch with emotions. In today's world they are encouraged to be in touch and that often means paying attention to personal needs.  But does that undermine male willingness to take risks and compete with others for the benefit of greater society?

To do the dirty dangerous and challenging jobs men  need to put feelings aside and focus on the task at hand.  Personal emotional fulfillment takes a back seat to the man’s drive for public honor and respect.

 Will a talented man not subject himself to the grueling task of ruling a country, dedicating long hours in a lab to discover new medications, or travel for long periods overseas in the service of his country?