How Much is Enough?

I have been thinking about integrity and honesty, and frankly should humanity even continue, but that is another thread. In my thinking, I keep coming back to the same question: How much or little cheating is enough? Or stated another way?

How much of a lie makes you a liar?
How much cheating do you have to do to be a cheater?
How much do you need to steal for you to be considered a thief?
How much infidelity do you need to be considered an adulterer?
How much fraud to you need to commit for it to be criminal?
How much of the truth needs to be changed for it to be untrue?
How much shit exactly, does something need to have to be considered a shit sandwich?
How dead must a person be to be considered murdered?
How pregnant do you have to be to be considered pregnant?

OK, the last two were off topic but the answer is “any”..

Any amount of lying makes you a liar.
Any amount of cheating makes you a cheater.
Any amount of stealing makes you a thief.
Any amount of infidelity makes you an adulterer.
Any amount of fraud makes it a crime.
Any amount of untruth makes it false.

These are step functions: it is either 100% or 0%. There is no scale to truth, honesty, integrity, character, or fidelity. These are virtues and you either possess them or you do not. To paraphrase Yoda, “You are or you are not, there is no middle.” To accept a little fraud, lying, cheating, and stealing is to accept a lot.

So, you see if there were any lies, cheating, stealing, or fraud in the past election, it makes the whole election false, untrue, and bogus. Essentially, any amount of shit makes it a shit sandwich inedible except for the ones who want to force it down our throats. So, those people who keep lying, cheating, stealing, and have no integrity need to have a “come to Jesus” meeting real soon with the consequences of their actions.

Two quotes come to mind, both by Benjamin Franklin, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters,” and “We gave you a Republic, if you can keep it.” So, as you can see by letting this situation stand we are no longer a virtuous people and neither deserve freedom nor a Republic. Instead we are now lead by masters intent on keeping us in pens and cages. For me, there is some shit I shall not eat.

Comments

The Moldy Middle

While taking statistics during my quest to get an MBA and while earning my engineering degree, the professors always emphasized the importance of finding the statistical mean of any population by using the Central Mean Theorem (a.k.a the highest point of the Bell Curve). As an engineer, this was essential in order to maximize throughput, minimize cost and waste, and ultimately make a better, faster, cheaper widget. A funny thing happened on the way to the dark side of marketing. I discovered that the only thing in the middle of the road was quite literally dead road kill. I do not know if you remember stores like Bradlees, Ames and Service Merchandise (just to name a few), but they all folded because the environment changed and they were caught trying to service the mythological “average customer.” Part of that change came when Wal-Mart began its juggernaut with the discount department store. Wal-Mart did two things right: 1) Focused on “mobile” consumers, and 2) Fo...

Fortune Cookie of Persistence

There are many things or factors that can determine a person’s success or failure, but one thing that cuts across EVERY successful person I have met or read about or studied is perseverance, persistence, stick-to-itiveness, and determination. As I say, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. The desire and ability to press on has and always will solve the problems of the human race and divide those who achieve from those who might have been." Incredibly, this ONE characteristic is really what makes a true entrepreneur as testimony to these little factoids: Coca-Cola only sold twenty five (25) bottles in its first year of business! They grossed $50.0 and spent $73.96 on merchandising. But they kept on going and never gave up, and nowadays the sell more than one billion bottles per day! Apple Computer co-founder offered the computer design to Hewlett-Packard five times and was rejected by both HP and Atari (the giant at the time) for acquisition. A...

5 Lessons on How to Treat People

Here is a listing of stories that hopefully help you understand how to treat people... the author is unknown.... the wisdom is priceless. 1. First Important Lesson - "Know The Cleaning Lady" During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello." I've never forgotten th...

The Profit Prophet

Search This Blog