Philosophy over steak and eggs....

[feren]

So a late, decadent lunch was had to celebrate my meeting with the CIO. We selected Kopper Kitchen as the restaurant of choice and zipped up 83 so we could try to beat the lunch rush. We needn't have worried, since it was almost completely empty when we got there. I had a juicy strip steak with mozzarella cheese covering it, two scrambled eggs and four pieces of bacon. Truly this was a filling meal and a great way to reward myself for how well this morning's presentation went.

During the meal the conversation between RW, DP and myself turned to philosophy. We discussed morality, ethics, how "honor code" becomes law and a number of other things. Interestingly enough when I got back to my desk I had a misdirected e-mail waiting for me in Outlook. I was about to hit the "delete" key on it until I saw the individual's tag line:

What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
- Robert Schuller

That gave me pause to think, because it really is a great question in my opinion. If I could not fail, and I knew it, what would I do? I think that I would fulfill the dream of becoming my own boss, and start my own business. But then I think about it more, and I start to wonder. Maybe I would climb a mountain, or try to set a record of some type. So many different possibilities flooded into my mind I was almost overwhelmed.

What would you do?

Comments

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Become a Richard Garriott-like game designer. Lots of money, respect, and the ability to steer a company to make my own dreams. Except that I would not make the mistake of selling out to EA. ('gryn)

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I have that quote, paraphrased, on my desk at home. And again, in a sketchbook.

To some extent, it is my mode of operation. Then again, tilting at windmills is in my blood. :)

[linnaeus.livejournal.com]

I would do somthing about the disgraceful condition of the eighth floor refrigerator, and then email the entire building to tell them of my triumph!

[feren.livejournal.com]

[I would do somthing about the disgraceful condition of the eighth floor refrigerator, and then email the entire building to tell them of my triumph!]

If you can't be good at your job, be good at something highly visible but inconsequential.

Man, it drives me positively insane that I had to read that. Why are they sending it to OBT Users if it's only a problem on the 8th floor?!?

Somebody needs to teach these people what's appropriate for e-mail to the whole company, and what isn't.

[almanzo.livejournal.com]

I would become a master fiddle player.

[feren.livejournal.com]

Nice!

[yotogi.livejournal.com]

Ah, late again, but that seems to be my nature, no? I personally would have to ask myself instead, was the deed really so great if I knew it was assured? A fait accompli has less gravity in our thinking than a success in adversity.

I myself would choose, if I knew it would succeed, to devise (or discover?) a system of ethics that allowed everyone, regardless of place or time or culture or situation, to determine right and wrong; to create a level playing field, so to speak, for our behavior. Impossible? More than likely. But we did posit that it was a sure thing, so why not swing for the fences?