Aristotle said, “it is not once, nor twice but times without number that the same ideas make their appearance in the world.”
Marc Champion, of the Wall Street Journal, writes that Tony Blair resigned his post as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom because of his association with President George Bush. BBC News reports that Christian Cox, a US Citizen, living in London, wrote to the BBC news website to express her concern about the amount of abuse she receives because of her nationality.
When I went to college in England, Ronald Reagan was President. And do you now what the Brits said to me?
“Only in America could a movie star be a President.”
I agreed. Only in America. I was not proud of the fact that Reagan was our President. Are you kidding? Ronald Reagan was a brilliant orator but not a scholar. Years later when were traveling through Ireland during the Supreme Court’s plenary session relative to America’s next President, Gore or Bush. All stratum’s of Irish society throughout the whole of Ireland said,
“Bush will take the Presidency.”
Now think about it. Isn’t it fascinating the UK could see the obvious, yet we who were so close couldn’t see it? What does that tell you? Socrates said we are incapable of evaluating ourselves objectively. If you know objectivity is impossible why would you not seek independent council throughout all of your life irrelevant of your station, role and function?
Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “once the mind has been stretched by a new idea, it will never again return to its original size.” Being educated in England had been a lifelong dream of mine. Why? Because I think big. I love history. I am avid believer history repeats itself. Going to school abroad taught me more than international culture. I learned global economics, currencies, history, art, etc. from an entirely different perspective. But more important I learned tolerance and acceptance. I studied art history and French for years in high school and in college, but until you live in a foreign country you realize how much you don’t know.
I took my oldest son when he was thirteen years old with me on a business trip to England. I will never forget when he said to me,
“Mom which is better, Philadelphia or London?
“Neither Mike. They are different.”
My son fell in love with England just as I did twenty five years prior.
For those Americans abroad dealing with how our President is affecting the world at large, I would suggest you put yourself into the world’s shoes. The biggest mistakes I have made in my life are when I did not sit in the shoes of the person across the desk from me. When we expect others to see only our perspective we are guaranteed failure.
Irrelevant of your role, CEO or President of a nation, you will make mistakes. It will happen. As Einstein said, “a person who never made a mistake, never tried anything new.” So how is it one could be so foolish or stupid to think you would either not make a mistake or not take responsibility for it? How pompous and arrogant can one nation or person be?
No one can tolerate deceit. What’s wrong with making mistakes? What’s bad about them? I have the learned the most in my life from the mistakes I have made. Even Aristotle said, “the fruits of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” Did George and Cheney cheat their way through history class? Is that the problem? Because I cannot figure out for the life of me how so many smart people take dumb pills. Which part of understanding the cause and effect of denying your mistakes do you not get? You lose credibility. What are you? A liar.
If you aren’t sure what to do ask questions, ask for help. Do your due diligence. Research the problem. You would think someone who attended Yale would have studied history and Alexander. He was the world’s greatest conqueror. I always find it fascinating when learned men have both the hubris and the stupidity to repeat mistakes others have made before them. The disappointment is not that they take down their own nations, it is the domino effect and the lives they destroy.
Arstitotle also said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” How sad the fragile ego that cannot seek guidance and advice? What is it the ego fears? The discovery of being wrong. The ego saves face. The cost irrelevant. All ends justified. Only the ego’s desires matter.
I love history. Why? History is the study of nations, people and mindsets. I will never-forget sitting at dinner with the local Chairman of the Republican Party and he said to me, “Ev, if a CEO of a major company did what Bill Clinton did, he would have been fired.” I looked at him and laughed.
“What country and what company are you talking about? Are you nuts?” I said to him.
There was major discourse. It was the most ridiculous statement I had ever heard in my entire life. What planet do people live on in this world that actually think that? I have been in corporate America my entire life. And I can tell you first hand that is unadulterated crap. If anybody thinks a CEO would be fired because he fools around with a woman is either drunk or on drugs. I should know. I have been victimized by sexual harassment ad nauseam.
I a registered republican and I must say its sickens me what Republicans did to Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton is the only President we have had in The White House that is both a scholar and every man. I would invite everyone with a brain to comment on this one. Those people with brains wouldn’t dare comment. You can’t actually equate someone’s private sexual exploits with lying to the world about the cause of a war? You cannot be serious. Don’t even come here with that one. Do you know what the Brits were doing about Bill Clinton? They were laughing at us. The fact that Republicans equate Clinton with Bush is beyond my comprehension.
The Republican machinery was so mad because Bill won, they wanted to get back at him. Hillary was absolutely right. It was a vast right wing conspiracy. You know and I know it. A bunch of sanctimonious schmucks. All those guys were fooling around. They always are. You know how I know? Those are the sames guys who are making passes at me. At that really disgusts me. And here’s the other thing on the sex issue. If there is one lie I can forgive it’s sex. Because guess what? I don’t want to know what my husband is doing with anybody else ever. And if you ever tell me, I’ll have to come through my computer and beat the crap out of you. So those who throw stones are living in glass houses. If those pharisaical morons had listened to Einstein you know what he would have told them? “Before God we are all equally wise and equally foolish. God may be subtle, but he isn’t plain mean.”
At a minimum tell the truth you idiots. Say we made a mistake you freaking nuts. Poor George doesn’t understand what he’s done to this nation in the world. What’s even sadder is most American’s don’t get why the world hates Americans so much. I do. Twenty five years ago I was on a plane from London to Frankfurt and I’ll never forget how a Texan treated a stewardess. He grabbed her by her buttocks and in other parts that were repulsive to me. Today, I would stand up and pour my drink on him. Back then I was young and didn’t know what to do. But at that moment I was embarrassed and humiliated to be American.
All George needed to say was:
“We had false information and rushed to judgement. It was a grave error on our part and I take full responsibiity. Given our current situation, here are our options….”
Einstein would have told George, “Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.“
And as it related to business? Its the same thing. How many times have I seen the guy at the top who is so sanctimonious in his station yet screwing the little guy? He’s getting paid $45 million and screwing the little guy. Why? That’s what I loved about John Reed. Finally a guy with a brain and integrity. He took the job as head of the NYSE for $1.00. In one fell swoop he restored integrity to NYSE. What a novel idea.
Instead life is about screwing everybody isn’t it? Its about greed. Because what’s the point in doing the right thing? Why would anybody care about the fact that HALLIBURTON has BEEN SCREWING the United States? Hey, what’s the big deal? Cheney was Halliburton’s CEO, but I don’t think we should bring attention to that should we? Good Republican soldiers don’t open their mouths. Just do as your told. Never admit your mistakes. Denial is so much better isn’t it? Destruction irrelevant. It is the golden rule of business right boys? All that really matters are profits and greed.
Elliot Spitzer set a glorious example on Wall Street. Mayor Bloomberg was so concerned IPOs going abroad he spent $700,000 on a study. Lots of integrity there. Get elected, then figure out how to redo the system. $1.4 billion in fines was a coo wasn’t it? All in the name of justice. And mostly without going through the court system. You are truly brilliant Governor. Now what do we do about fixing the IPO system? I mean the problem wasn’t really fixed Govenor Spitzer. But then you knew that didn’t you?
Final lesson is never admit your mistakes. After all what does Einstein and Aristotle know anyway?
Copyright 2007 Ev Nucci