Schemers

I've had the opportunity to deal with some schemers over the years. They wouldn't describe themselves that way, of course, but their standard approach usually involves an angle of some sort and what is left unsaid is often enormous.

Some are rogues, others are outright villains, and still more once were idealists who fell into the habit of believing they are always among the smartest people in any room. The latter group is the one that is most interesting because within their story lies a warning: We become what we practice.

After the passage of time, the proclivity to scheme becomes so dominant these characters could concoct a plot about a cheese. Nothing is straight-forward. All is twisted and their habits are such that they will do anything to play the game, even if doing so harms their self-interest. They lose touch with reality and become morally crippled.

I find them to be a rather sad lot.