|
This is largely a discourse I've been having in my head for the past week or so since the issue recently arose, again, after first having reared its head when I was about 14 or 15 in High School (I'm now 24). Essentially, what I'm talking about is what you will do, what will you take advantage of, who you would hurt, etc, to 'get what you want'.
Now just let me say at the outset... I'm not looking for people to tell me what to do; I'm satisfied with the type of choice I tend to make. What I'm interested in is how you have reacted in the past, or think you would react in such situations, as the case may be, and WHY.
This issue can be posed in many forms:
Do you eat the last piece of cake because, 'fuck it's good and I want more', or do you leave it in case anyone else wants some?
Do you drive down the outside lane which is meant to go straight ahead... cutting into the other lane at the last second so that you can turn? (thus saving yourself a shitload of time) Or do you get into the turning lane when you're supposed to? (and in turn, waiting like everyone else).
Do you take the girl up on her proposition to go and get a room, knowing well and truly that she is a) very intoxicated and b) has a long standing boyfriend?
Do I shit on my boss, blaming her for fuck ups on a client's file, so that I stay in this Judge's good books? Or do I take the heat on this occasion, and allow my advocacy skills to win the Judge over as time wears on?
These are all questions that have popped up in my personal and professional life over the past 24 years. The common theme is that there's something you want or something to be gained, whether it be tangible (the cake) or intangible (the saving of frustration from not sitting in traffic), but it involves either putting someone else out or a contradiction of your morals, in order to obtain it.
So, what do you do? Are you the 'white knight'? Are you half and half, depending on the situation? Do you focus on looking out for, doing the right thing by, yourself?
Personally, I tend to be the 'white knight'. It has been my natural inclination to tend to put others first. Has it hurt me overall? I personally don't think so. Sure there are opportunities I missed out on; I waste time in my day because I do the right thing in traffic, I've missed opportunities to bang gorgeous girls b/c they had boyfriends/husbands and I've had rough periods with certain judges because I refuse to say "well, frankly your honour, I'm not taking responsibility for the fuck ups of my colleague, take it up with them". And all of that is shitty...
Yet.. I'm a practicing solicitor with the respect of most of my colleagues and judges, have a good group of friends, have no trouble with women and so on. And so I am, for the most part, content with my 'white knight' approach.
However, due to recent circumstances in my life which have caused me to at least reconsider my approach, I'm curious: What is your approach? Are you content with it? Have you changed your approach? And if so, what did you find as a result?
 
|
Valhalla18444 Posts
i'm the black knight
HEEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
|
Valhalla18444 Posts
on a more serious note
things really arent so simple as the choices you have outlined
|
On December 18 2008 20:38 FakeSteve[TPR] wrote:
on a more serious note
things really arent so simple as the choices you have outlined
Of course they aren't.
However, I don't think it's a stretch to generalise and say that most people will tend to lean one way or the other, and those who are in between will have their personal lines drawn in the sand that they don't cross. I'm interested to hear where people fall, and why they feel so inclined.
The reason I will predominantly think of others first is, admittedly, often selfish and not altruistic at all; I just plain feel shitty if I take advantage of people. So, I avoid doing so. The grey area obviously develops when you have a situation that involves putting yourself first, compromising your moral standpoint, etc, to get something that your REALLY fucking want.
|
Valhalla18444 Posts
also i must say it's pretty unhealthy if you commonly refer to yourself or your actions and mannerisms as 'white knight'
|
Valhalla18444 Posts
because i mean i've known guys who had the same impression of themselves and they were the same sort of guy who would bitch about how girls 'don't like nice guys'
im not saying you are definitely this sort of person im just curious
|
White knight?
Imma goddamn wizard.
|
Haha, don't take the description of certain choices as 'white knight' so seriously. It's a term my friends started throwing around for anything someone did that was nice (I think they picked the term up from 4chan or some other internet shit hole).
You're also focusing on the girl issue a little too much... I don't have a problem with women. (Honestly, as a young lawyer in half decent physical shape, it's easy game). Nice guys don't finish last... unconfident, uninteresting tools who stand on the sides and dont speak to people finish last... I just don't bother with women who are already taken. Like I also said earlier, for me it's often not altruistic... it's admittedly self serving; with respect to women with other men in their life... they're just not worth my time ;p
|
Making evil choices as a habit tends to eventually lead to a dead end. Sure, you can get away with something here and there. But if you keep it up, people will start to treat you like an asshole because that's what you are. Maybe more damaging than anything is that through being bad, you are training yourself to be bad. It will actually become harder to make good decisions because being bad promises instant gratification. So, being a rational person, you are better off being a good guy. It gains you more respect, gives you that warm fuzzy feeling of being better than other people and tends to yield higher tangible and intangible rewards longterm.
|
On December 18 2008 20:34 Brett wrote:
Do you eat the last piece of cake because, 'fuck it's good and I want more', or do you leave it in case anyone else wants some?
I´ll be honest with you:
The last piece of cake is always left behind, it´s an insult to the cake and the person who made it.
Try to be a true hero, and overcome your inculcated mannerisms! Eat that last piece, not only for the sake of mankind, but also for the sake of the ones you love so much!
|
In general I have strived to take the "white knight" (wtf at that expression) route. I am quite happy with it so far. My continued self respect demands that I do things the way they are "supposed" to be done, without shortcuts.
When the other chemists at my college wanted to trade results between groups in order to get of labs a day early I was like "No I'll do it all by myself in that case", much to the dismay of my labpartners :/
I think your traffic example in particular was interesting, the rules are there to improve the safety for everyone but to actually put something to seems quite pointless ahead of ones own comfort is still a step to take.
|
|
|
i would say mostly white knight, but a little more recently i've been doing more half and half. Always situation dependent though
|
I would probably say white knight too, mostly because I don't care about a lot of things in my life, and so am willing to forgo certain opportunities if it means that someone who actually cares about whatever the situation calls for (cake, avoiding trouble, etc.) can get it.
|
|
|
On December 19 2008 00:09 KH1031 wrote:
rofl I never even knew this movie existed.
|
|
|
On December 19 2008 04:04 jello_biafra wrote:rofl I never even knew this movie existed.
I actually didn't think it was too bad. I like Martin Laurence though. Blue streak!
|
On December 19 2008 06:33 Durak wrote:Show nested quote +On December 19 2008 04:04 jello_biafra wrote:On December 19 2008 00:09 KH1031 wrote: rofl I never even knew this movie existed. I actually didn't think it was too bad. I like Martin Laurence though. Blue streak!
Blue Streak was one of my favourite films for so long lol. I need to see this one now ^^
|
I usually don't eat the last piece of cake because I've eaten the vast majority of the other pieces so I'd feel bad if I did
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT![[image loading]](http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb284/smileylrh/039_black_knight.jpg)
