My Ramblin' Prose 3

"When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old and true maxim that 'a drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.' So with men. If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey that catches his heart, which, say what he will, is the great highroad to his reason, and which, once gained, you will find but little trouble in convincing him of the justice of your cause, if indeed that cause is really a good one."

-Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Alas, but how few use such wisdom nowadays.  And how few actually would respond positively to such soft approach anyway.

Of course during his time, in politics, dear old Abe had only to deal with men.  Therefore his statement was only made in the masculine context.  Can't fault him for that.  Our political landscape now is totally different.  On top of having to deal with different sexes, cultures, religions, we also have to contend with double-speaking and spin-doctoring. 

Then there are the actors who can play dumb, shed tears on demand, or scream and shout abuses at you even when you see no reason for them to behave the way they do, in spite of your diplomatic approach.  The fact remains they're making statements to reach a larger target audience.  Being seen as idiots by a small part of the public doesn't diminish their worth in the eyes of a bigger section of the population.  In other words, principles have no more value than a teaspoon of salt in the ocean.  Political dexterity is of utmost importance.  While getting voted is the bottom-line.  How you 'sail with the wind' decides how well you survive politically. 

And also that's why the regime in charge always intend to keep more of the population poorly educated by all dubious means they can get away with, while maintaining that they're always updating and advancing the standards.

For us ordinary folks, we tend to either shoot first and talk later or we don't say anything offensive to those close to us.  That's why we are either quarrelling most of the time or we just cold-shoulder each other when we don't agree, until one of us decides that the other could be right and makes a move for further discussion. 

It's only when we can thrash things out openly and maturely that we can solve common problems without involving highly charged emotions.  Otherwise unhealthy conditions just fester and anger and frustrations grow until relationships finally fall apart.

Perhaps, that's why it's terribly difficult to find sincere friends nowadays.  Value the ones who dare to give you the medication without sugar-coating it.  Of course you have to be the type who can take it straight.  I don't mean to say that those who can sugar-coat things before they throw it at you, are insincere.  On the contrary, these are the very people you should thank heaven for.  They are a rare breed who are honest yet diplomatic with you.  Consider yourself very fortunate if you can count them on the fingers of one hand.