Now you might not believe it, but under fire Animal Mother is one of the… finest human beings in the world. All he needs is somebody to throw hand grenades at him the rest of his life.  — Full Metal Jacket

I’ve known a lot of people who were absolutely brilliant in high pressure situations, but turned into complete jackasses during downtime.  Soldiers that were awesome when on duty almost had to have a minder on the weekends or after we got back from the field.  Their behavior, so long as it didn’t hurt anyone, would usually be forgiven because, in every way except acting like one, they were a good soldier.

I think of this as the warrior versus the soldier.  You see, a warrior is outstanding in battle.  He prepares himself to a very fine edge for it, and executes as flawlessly as possible.  His knowledge of all things related to his chosen avocation is boundless, and he is always straining to improve.

The soldier, on the other hand, is everything the warrior is, and more.

The warrior may be outstanding at shooting his weapon, either at the range or in combat, but the soldier not only qualifies as an expert marksman, but also knows how to teach others about the weapon and how to shoot it.  A warrior may be able to drive like a mad man to save a comrade or close with the enemy, but the soldier also knows how to properly do checks and maintenance on it so that it runs when it’s needed.  The warrior makes sure that his subordinates know everything they know to be great warriors, too, but the soldier makes sure they are given opportunities to learn and lead so that they can become more.  A warrior is disciplined when it comes to the art of war, while a soldier is disciplined in all things.  A warrior brings glory to himself and to the military when he goes to war.  A soldier brings honor to the military no matter where he is.

In short, it’s not enough to be a badass in battle.  You have to be more.  There isn’t always going to be someone chucking hand grenades at you, and you have to be willing to do the right thing in their absence.

Remember, there’s always something cleverer than yourself. — Excalibur

One of the things that I need to remind myself of occasionally is that I am rarely the smartest person in the room.  This is a trap that I see a lot of people falling into, either in person or over the Internet, including myself.  Yes, there are some very narrow subjects about which I know more than 80% of the people out there, but those areas are very specialized and do not lend themselves to mastering other subjects.

Also, if you recognize that you are not the go-to expert on something, you recognize that you still have something to learn.  That opens up more avenues in a given subject to explore, more people to meet and learn from, and more subjects that will interest you.

How boring it must be to truly be the smartest person in a room.

Pardner, it’s been my experience that there ain’t nothin’ more ruthless and treacherous than a genuine good woman. — Paint Your Wagon

Lord, protect me from Irish Woman when she has an idea and knows she’s right.  My lovely wife is such a good soul that when she gets a notion, examines it, determines its righteousness, and starts moving from A to B to C to Q, there isn’t much that will slow her down, much less stop her.

Of course, if she wasn’t like that, there wouldn’t be a lot of things getting done around here.

We’re always quickest to doubt people who have a reputation for being honest.  — Psycho

It is amazing how quickly we can tear people down once the whispering begins.  No matter how righteous, honest, and ethical a person is, all it takes is someone to say an unkind word in the right ear, and pretty soon their reputation is shot.  Gossip has killed more careers and ended more relationships than almost anything else.  It’s amazing how few people are willing to go to the person who is being slandered and ask for the truth.

If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.  — Pulp Fiction

I’m always tickled by the bubble-people who ask controversial questions and are then shocked to get controversial answers.  It’s always a sign of an echo chamber when those who don’t hold the same opinions as others have to be scrutinized like a bug on a pin.

If you’re not ready to hear my opinion, don’t ask for it.  I will, on occasion, throw a hand grenade in your henhouse.

Me and the Kaiser, we are both fighting. The only difference is the Kaiser isn’t here!  — All Quiet On The Western Front

I’ve heard this put two other ways:  “Rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight” and “Old man’s war but a young man’s fight”.  Both express the feeling that those who start wars and profit from them rarely share the danger of actually participating in them.  I think, for the most part, this is valid.  It’s been a very long time since a senator or a president would feel shame for not sending their own children to war with the children of the rest of us.  Where is Lieutenant Clinton, or Sergeant Bush?

This is a symptom, one of the earliest, that our society has lost its sense of duty.  I’m not saying that each and every person needs to wear a uniform, but I do believe we need to give back.  Not with your taxes or your support for social programs.  I mean giving up your time and energy to make the nation stronger.  Maybe you join the Marines, or maybe you volunteer a few hours a week at the soup kitchen.  No matter what, from the top of the ivory tower to the bottom of the gutter, we all should have skin in the game.

We’d better get back, ’cause it’ll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night… mostly. — Aliens

There are parts of Louisville that are perfectly fine during the day, but being there after dark is a less than optimal situation.  No feasible number of policemen, cameras, or political speeches are going to change that.  I tend to avoid those places, if I can.  If I can’t, I try to be smart about when I go, where I go, and who I go with.  And unless I am absolutely forbidden to carry in the places I visit (mostly government buildings), I always make sure that I’m armed.  Doing so won’t keep trouble away or guarantee that I’ll be able to handle anything that happens, but it’s better than harsh language and hoping for the best.

Why do we even *have* that lever?  — The Emperor’s New Groove

There are two things about technology that infuriate me – The Good Idea Fairy, and kruft.

The Good Idea Fairy is the mythical being that causes normally rational and logical engineers and programmers to go off on flights of fancy.  His work usually begins by whispering in their ear “Wouldn’t it be cool if…..”.  Then, requirements be damned, things that are usually either awesomely neat or completely useless start sprouting off of the side of projects.

Kruft is the stuff that used to be important, but has been overtaken by business requirements and new technology.  It’s like your system has a vestigial tail that’s still taking up precious resources.  These are worse than being a waste, because you still have to maintain them.  If it’s a bridge, this could be the pedestrian lane that needs to be made wheelchair accessible, even if nobody walks on the bridge anymore because it’s not safe.  If it’s software, it’s a dependence on an old protocol that’s insecure and is written in a language that only people who qualify for Social Security know how to effectively code.

Either one of these showing up in a project are enough to have me pulling out what remains of my hair.  Both showing up makes me regret the demise of the two-martini lunch.

There may be honor among thieves, but there’s none in politicians. — Lawrence of Arabia

 

There are very few politicians I trust, and they’re usually the ones that haven’t been doing it for very long and don’t seem to have ambitions to longevity in their position or elevation to something else.  One election cycle, they can be the white knight, trying to burn down the rotting hulk of established regimes, and the next, they’re part of the regime.  It seems that the longer they hold onto power, then the more power holds onto them.

What we need are people who want to serve, but not to be served.  People who feel a duty to the nation, not a will to power.  Where we can find people like this, who are willing to put themselves and their families through the meat grinder of an election, is the real question.

Here are my terms: Goest thou to hell, and swiftly please, and there may Azmodaeus himself suckle from your diseased teat! — Dark Shadows

When beginning any negotiation, it’s always a good idea to lay out your requirements.  There’s something to be said for honesty, clarity, and spitting in their eye.