Words and Deeds

I’m a dedicated wordsmith. I think in words, and in my dreams, everyone always has something to say. And those words! Weaving from ideas to fantasies to nightmares. It’s like being caught in a tide that will drown you if you don’t watch out. It can get exhausting.

Awhile back, I had the misfortune to work with a guy with a nasty temper, who erratically browbeat his subordinates and did some very questionable things in pursuit of his own goals.

But he talked a good game. He always said the “right” thing, was able to look concerned, and invariably could spin his dross into gold with a higher up. After witnessing his temper and golden tongue, another colleague sighed and said earnestly, “But he’s a good person.”

Not so much…he says he’s a good person. He doesn’t act like a good person, and there’s a difference.

Right now, our world seems to go to extremism as the first stop for problem-solving. But Extremism – any kind of extremism – seems to veer into hurtful, horrible actions all wrapped in snappy slogans. Reason and passion tangled up by pretty words.
As they say, even the devil can quote scripture.

My petty office politics seems to be the microcosm of the bigger picture – and that’s scary. On the world stage, some people will say anything. They’ll sound all the right notes, just to get what they want. And a few, often a very few, will use their position to help others.

Words and deeds. Damn.