Several years ago, a congressman from Arizona had the practice of flying coach from Washington, D.C. to Phoenix every other weekend in order to see his family and meet with constituents. One person's reaction? "He's just using taxpayer money for those fancy plane trips."
Sure. Rushing through airports, changing time zones, and flying coach for prolonged periods are commonly thought of as a good time.
I recall this comment because it reminds me of the infinite capacity of some people to put a negative or sinister spin on the noblest characteristics or actions. Consider how these cynics would regard the following:
Friendly. "What a phony."
Idealistic. "How naive."
Ambitious. "Just another opportunist."
Visionary. "A nut."
Cooperative. "Weak."
Deferential. "A kiss-up."
Analytical. "Head in the clouds."
Outspoken. "Rude."
Decisive. "Arrogant."
Principled. "Self-Righteous."
Articulate. "Too smooth."
Inarticulate. "Dumb."
Hard-working. "Too driven."
Successful. "Crooked."
2 comments:
Very true. I've written about that phenomenon before, but you've hit the nail on the head with your translations. I've written about this post on my blog. Thanks for the inspiration - now and always.
Matt,
Negative people are members of a large tribe. I make a real effort to avoid them because they'll eventually lower my spirits.
Thanks for the comments and thanks for your blog!
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