Friday, April 4, 2008

a few things i learned this week:

there is a reason women in the movies only carry one grocery sack with the infamous baguette bread hanging out the top to their new york apartments. note: i will never look like this when i'm carrying groceries back to my house or juggling multiple things at once while walking the streets of downtown l.a.:

i made the mistake of being ultra metropolitan by walking to the grocery store the other night and not only did i underestimate how heavy my food would be, it also decided to rain for the first time in months. even the homeless people looked better than i did as i braved the rain while they huddled under awnings, laughing at me. so, my lesson ... i'm driving from now on.

two ... just because the organization you work for isn't ready to change, doesn't mean you're a terrible leader. i'm beginning to think you're a terrible leader only when you assume you can change people to fit the vision you have for them.

three ... while capitalism, in theory, may have some attractive qualities, the gentleman that came to our campus last night on behalf of the ayn rand institute convinced me that there really are people in this world who care only about themselves. while i appreciate his honesty and bold promotion of an organization that "provides an ethical basis for self interest," i hope that his evangelical rantings irritate the masses and remind us that people really do matter.

so ... i'm not much different than i was yesterday or monday, but i do know that i'm on my way to being a great leader, i think capitalism is bogus and the glamor of big city life doesn't look as great on me as it does anne hathaway.

the end

3 comments:

Todd Ramsey said...

You have raised my ire...

Capitalism is not bogus, nor is it good in theory. While it isn't the catch-all solution for all of the world's troubles, it is certainly a better option than say socialism or communism.

As for an ethical approach to self-interest, I think Ayn Rand and her disciples fail to recognize the self interest in taking care of others who are unable to take care of themselves. However, that must, must, must be a concious decision and not one enforced by end of a gun (a phrase I would wager was used last night). There is a huge difference between freely giving a homeless individual some money and being mugged in an alley. A difference for me and the recipient.

I could go on, but in the self interest of keeping my job, I will cut it short.

krysta rinke said...

do you work for them?

kim said...

I'm interjecting something completely not deep here... just wanted to tell you that this is a great post. Who else could combine a commentary on big city grocery shopping with a commentary on capitalism? You're awesome.