• Home
  • About Jim
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Reviews
  • Order
  • Contact
  • Excerpts
JIM WARREN

One--- A Figure of Speech

2/6/2021

0 Comments

 

I worked for a man for a period of time, fortunately brief, who referred to himself as, " One " !  Not "I" or "Me" or even the royal "We" , but solely and deliberately  " One ".  As in ,  "One thinks this"  or,  "One should do this"  or  " One has no patience with " .  At least it would be clear recognition that he was speaking  more about himself than the subject he thought he was talking about, if he started with,  ' I "  or  " for  Me ".  At least that rings with more modesty and less narcissism ! The pronouns we use may be a marker revealing our inner selves.  It occurred to me at that time that we could classify people in one form of measure as those wanting to please and those wanting to be pleased.  It's not that he was difficult to work with because he wasn't.  He just saw himself as not one of   "the little people ".
          I am occasionally astounded at the boundless confidence of those who are in command. Seemingly what is good for General Bullmoose is good for the country.  Wanting to please may be seen as  " toadying " by some, or reflective to getting ahead by any means or at all cost  by others, but that  fails to account for the old adage that  " he who would lead must first learn to serve. "  That does not mean I cast off all my boundaries.  It just means a lot more hard work. It also demands intuition.
          The lofty out look of  " One ",  who unfortunately saw himself as exercising   " noblesse oblige "  at every opportunity,  revealed in fact that he was a social innocent.  Needing to be pleased may be a precarious and fragile walk of life. The hounds will be at your heels;  and I am.  " Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. "

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.


    For Jim's past posts, check out his old blog here:
    Elderly Eclectic Gentleman Blog

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly