Our Allies

[TFinnegan]

Our allies will not necessarily be the kind of dazzling people to whom everyone looks up and of whom they say: '€˜There'€™s none better.'€™
On the contrary, they are people who are not afraid of making mistakes and who do, therefore, make mistakes, which is why their work often goes unrecognized.
Yet they are just the kind of people who transform the world and, after many mistakes, manage to do something that can make a real difference in their community - be it smaller or greater.
They are people who can'€™t bear to sit around waiting for things to happen in order to decide which attitude to adopt; they decide as they act, well aware that this could prove highly dangerous.
Living with such people is important because we need to realize that before we face our goal, we must first feel free enough to change direction.
Join with all those who experiment, take risks, fall, get hurt and then take more risks.
Stay away from those who affirm truths, who criticise those who do not think like them, people who have never once taken a step unless they were sure they would be respected for doing so, and who prefer certainties to doubts.
Join with those who sing, tell stories, take pleasure in life, fear no risk, and have joy in their eyes - because THEY will change the world, not those who work to keep it stagnant.

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[TFinnegan]

*sigh*
No, I'm not speaking in code....
No, I'm not talking about Congress' allies...

(stop PMing me asking what I REALLY mean!)

I'm being very general, sagely, if you will.

I'm saying, the friends who agree with you out of hand are doing you no favors.
Your REAL friends challenge you, and can be challenging themselves at times.

Like Frank said:

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[Madvillain]

Stay away from those who affirm truths, who criticise those who do not think like them, people who have never once taken a step unless they were sure they would be respected for doing so, and who prefer certainties to doubts.
Join with those who sing, tell stories, take pleasure in life, fear no risk, and have joy in their eyes - because THEY will change the world, not those who work to keep it stagnant.

Well said!

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Baila Morena | Toilet Trouble | Elder Presidente[TBH] | The Titan Combat Manual | Confession
♰ Join the Corsair Brotherhood ♰

[Hawk]

I'm saying, the friends who agree with you out of hand are doing you no favors.
Your REAL friends challenge you, and can be challenging themselves at times.

Amen my friend

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[Marburg]

Since I've earned my 'been there, done that' T-shirt over the years, can I add some of my five & dime sagery?

Never back down from a fight...& I'm not talking pussified verbal argument type of fights. I'm talking about the "3:00: meet me at the bike racks after school for an proper ass-whippin" type of fights.

Best & lifelong friends are made in such ways.

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[TFinnegan]

Hawk: *wink* Aint I the challenge to have in your faction?!?!

MV the BC: thanks!

Burg: You're so right! Early in my short, horrible time in the Corps, my crew VC and I hated each other, even came to blows one night. We talk at least every couple weeks now, and though we still disagree on most everything there is to talk about, we're closer than my actual brothers, and visit each other more often.

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[Dusty Lens]

It's heartening to see that you've sighed, taken a step back and performed a 180* on your mindset and ideals. Life is richer when you can face opposition to thought and ideal with an attitude other than hostility. A chuckle and a wink make for a healthier soul than anger, self righteousness and the threat of violence.

Bravo.

[Doc Holliday]

Nicely stated, Finn!

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[MFE]Med Force One | Tales of Recovery|Med Force Enterprises

[TFinnegan]

Thanks Doc!

As to a 180; I've never minded someone who thinks differently than I do.
If they can form a coherent argument, strategically built and showing Socratic method, I consider myself lucky to be a part of the debate.

I DO mind when people use rhetological fallacies such as hurling thinly veiled insults to argue their difference.
And I mind it a lot.

If someone is willing to devolve from intelligent debate and lean on knee-jerk tactics based on ridicule, spite, and incredulity then I consider myself free to answer in kind.

You can't take the high road with people whose street address is on the low road.
they can't hear you - it's too far away.
Sometimes you gotta come down to ear level to have your voice heard.

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[Jihadjoe]

Dusty's post was pretty much the type of challenge you asked for. It challenges your own behaviour in the past, in a way which is relevant to this little wall of advice (in which you affirm your own truth... Funny that). It's only an insult because you find it insulting.

If he had phrased it as;
"That's funny, I swear you threatened someone with physical violence after getting real mad when that person blew up you and some friends of yours, in a videogame."
Would you then be insulting Mr Lens' moral or intellectual integrity? (I wasn't entirely sure what you were aiming for.)

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