Another Road "Less Traveled"

Good Morning!

For many people is the US...this was a short week, with a really long weekend!

An extra few days for people to celebrate their thankfulness with a feast of excess...and then a marathon day of spending...

"Black Friday" is a brilliantly positioned marketing ploy that not only takes advantage of people being away from work...but also of the residual feelings of thankfulness to push sales...

Although I philosophically oppose it...there is a time to plant and a time to harvest...and that day is the perfect day for harvest!  People's attitudes are ripe for sales...and a retail organization that does not jump on the bandwagon is missing a great opportunity!

I wish I knew if the "Black Friday" conception and birth was unintentional and a simple evolution over time, or...if it was an intentional an systematic marketing and sales tactic built upon a brilliant observation and insight of an astute individual.

If it were the latter...I want to meet that person...

Yet I tend to believe the simpler explanation...more people were shopping on the Friday following Thanksgiving and stores took notice and responded accordingly..."forced evolution"

What exists now is that the retail world has leveraged our celebration of Thanksgiving...which we do with unbridled excess...into a day of increased sales...

Do you think that "Black Friday" would be different if we celebrated our thankfulness with a day of fasting?

Would we have a "Black Friday" at all?

This is an interesting aspect to ponder...because it can be telling about us!

This aspect points to the fact that there are actually two paths to success and happiness...

One is brought about by astute observation, insight and execution...(Black Friday was actually someone's idea)...

The other by following the ebbs and flow of life and by adjusting accordingly...(Black Friday just happened)

Many will argue that one takes time and the other takes less...

Others contend that the probability of success is higher with one over the other...

I do not believe that either of these contentions are true...

Success happens despite our efforts...or lack thereof!

The path of (note the preposition change) success and happiness is more like a tailored suit...

It is specific to the individual and not worn well by any other...

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I have been observing people at various levels (for some time) and became aware of an interesting pattern...

Many people believe that with position comes the license to talk more freely...saying what they want...

I am seeing more and more old people saying what is on their minds with total disregard for others' feelings...

I see teens "trash-talking" each other and their parents because they think it is a "right of adulthood!"

I see leaders exercising their authority and hurting others, ruining careers and wasting valuable organizational resources...

These deluded people have confused "right and responsibility!"

I fear that it is no loner a minority that acts like that and actually the behavior of all but a wise few!

Wisdom should lead a person to the correct behaviors more frequently...but is this happening?

Seeing young people misguided in their thinking and behavior is somewhat forgivable...they are stretching their wings...

Seeing adults allowing that behavior...is unforgivable...in that they are allowing this kind of behavior to continue...

Abusive talk is a very subtle and destructive form of "Bullying."

Disguised and many wrongly believe that it is protected by the 1sr Amendment...

What I know is that "Trash-talk is not by definition a right of "free speech."

It is actually a crime!

It is assault and battery...and should be recognized and punished appropriately...

I would love to see some of these abusive old men and ladies...teens and adults...serving 5 to 10 years for their nasty mouth!

For many of them (especially the old ones)...it would be a life (death) sentence...and although it sounds cruel...the world would be much better off for them being out of the picture!

Even the air wasted on their formation of words is wasted...and the oxygen they consume to continue to live...a waste!

Do you get my point?

I am really serious about this!
There is a path that many people wrongly believe..."that position has it privilege"...

In a way...they are right...but where they are wrong is when they believe that they can say and do things, to others, that is potentially hurtful...

Position does have its privileges and responsibility...but only when it does not infringe on others in ANY way!

First...simply being a human being requires us to treat others with respect and dignity...

Second...it requires us to build others up rather than destroy...

Third...it requires us to confront those who are abusive and diligently ensure that it never happens again...

Fourth...it requires us to keep our words brideled if we have nothing to say...

Our Founding Fathers created the standard for "right to freedom" as that which we can do without interfering with the rights of others or hurting others in ANY way...

You do not have a right to say what you want to say...if it infringes upon or hurts anyone else...

That my friend is against the law...

It is against the constitution...

Making it a felony!

By definition it is treason and a cause for revocation of the rights of US membership (citizenship)...

The problem is that we have grown complacent and allowed these people to get away with it!

My advice...If you have an aggressive nature...don't waste it...seek out these nasty people...young or old and take a stand in the defense of the abused...have fun!  Show them what damage they are doing!

Then go quiet!

If you are non-aggressive and more passive...step out of character and do the same...you have license to do what is right...stand up for the abused!

Enough said...

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The Disney movie "Bambi" has one good line in it...

Credit for it actually is given to a character who is never seen in the movie...

Thumper's dad...(a rabbit)

Thumper's mother references his dad and reminds him through an admonition...

"...Thumper?  What did your father tell you?"

...Thumper replies, "If you can't saying something nice...don't say anything at all!"

Think of how quiet and wonderful this world would be...if we followed that admonition!

It does however need to get a bit louder before it gets quieter...

We need to take that road less traveled and make noise and confront EVERY instance of verbal "bullying!"

Disrespect and "Trash-talk" has no value...it is total waste!

In terms of trash...there is nothing that can be recycled in it!

Creating those words...is totally destructive...

Apologizing does not take abusive and hurtful words said back!

Our stand, as a true leader, is to make this world...OUR WORLD...better for our having been here!

We need to do this with absolute consistency...and dedication...

We can no longer allow anyone to get away with abusive "Trash Talk"...and more important...we can not be guilty of it!

To be truly successful in this world...we have to make the world a better place...

Not only just physically...but psychologically...and intellectually...

There are few sojourners following this path...it is one of the roads...less traveled...

Courtesy...respect...or quiet!

The world would be so much more peaceful if we eliminated this environmental waste!

Stop "waste"-ing your speech...

Stop others when you see them wasting your air!  They are suffocating you very subtly!
If you can't say nothing nice...

PURA VIDA!