I have a book I received as a conference goody-bag filler (your tax dollars did not fund my attendance nor the conference, though I have no doubt the venue where it was held was tax-supported as it was city-owned) and it is a good book for having in the room wherein the porcelain convenience is ensconced...
Called "Return to Civility," the lead author (it's a group collaboration) is John Sweeney of
The Brave New Workshop. It has 365 little thought-provoking bon mots and aphorisms revolving around being polite for polite's sake, and it really is a good little thought-provoker, if a times predictably treacly. I can forgive it the treacle, given the nature of the topic and overall quality of the product. Let's face it - it's hard to *not* be treacly on this topic and do a good job. Especially when it's bulk one-liners.
I think, however, that Master Sweeney and his group will be appalled at where my mind went with today's gem.
#164: "Recognize that a person's intelligence, potential, and ability to contribute are unconnected to their physical characteristics." The subtext (provided with all of them) is: Challenge yourself to find three things that contradict whatever your first stereotypical impression was.
At that point, what popped up were two rather good polar exemplars, both springing forth from the fields of academe (while one can wish that one had remained there):
Stephen Hawking and Barack Obama.
Both of whom's appearance belie their ability to contribute.
Read the complete post at http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2011/08/an_observation.html
Posted
Aug 21 2011, 07:04 AM
by
Argghhh! The Home Of Two Of Jonah's Military Guys..