JК
Sween Myth-tery of Life :: Asprin Robert
Страница: 73 из 110Doesn't everyone want to be liked?"
"Maybe at some level," my partner said. "But most people realize it's a wistful hope at best ... like it would be nice if it only rained when we want it to. The reality is that it rains when it bloody well feels like it, and that some people aren't going to like you no matter what you do. The up side is that there are also people who will like you no matter what you do."
"I can't accept that," I said, shaking my head.
"It's too fatalistic. If you're right, then there's no point in trying at all."
"Of course there is," Aahz snapped. "Just don't take everything to extremes. Okay? Reality always lies somewhere between the extremes. Not trying at all to have people like you is as silly as trying too much."
"Is that what I've been doing? Trying too much?"
My partner waggled his hand in front of him in a so-so gesture.
"Sometimes you drift dangerously close," he said. "I think that sometimes you let your desire to be liked get out of proportion. When that happens, it starts to warp your perception of yourself and the world."
"Could you give me an example or two?"
"Sure," he said easily. "Let's start with an easy one ... like taxes. Part of your job right now is to be a consultant on the taxes being levied on the citizens. Right?"
I nodded.
"... Except that people don't like to pay taxes. If they had their druthers, they would get the protection and services of the kingdom without paying a cent. Of course, they also realize that something for nothing is an unrealistic situation, so they accept the necessary evil of taxes. They accept it, but the don't like it. Because they don't like it, there is going to be an ongoing level of resentment and grumbling. Whatever the tax assessment is, it's too high, and whatever the level of services is, it's too low. That resentment is going to be forced on anyone involved with setting the taxes, which includes you and everyone else who works at the castle."
He shook his head.
"What I'm saying is that if you're in a position of decision making and power, such as you are now, you can forget about being liked by the people who are affected by your decisions. The best you can hope for is respect."
"Wait a minute," I said, "are you saying that people can respect you without liking you?"
"Sure," Aahz said easily. "That one I can give you dozens of examples on. Since we're on the subject of taxes and finances, consider Grimble. You respect his skill and dedication even though you don't particularly like him as a person. Right?"
I had to admit that he was right there.
"Maybe at some level," my partner said. "But most people realize it's a wistful hope at best ... like it would be nice if it only rained when we want it to. The reality is that it rains when it bloody well feels like it, and that some people aren't going to like you no matter what you do. The up side is that there are also people who will like you no matter what you do."
"I can't accept that," I said, shaking my head.
"It's too fatalistic. If you're right, then there's no point in trying at all."
"Of course there is," Aahz snapped. "Just don't take everything to extremes. Okay? Reality always lies somewhere between the extremes. Not trying at all to have people like you is as silly as trying too much."
"Is that what I've been doing? Trying too much?"
My partner waggled his hand in front of him in a so-so gesture.
"Sometimes you drift dangerously close," he said. "I think that sometimes you let your desire to be liked get out of proportion. When that happens, it starts to warp your perception of yourself and the world."
"Could you give me an example or two?"
"Sure," he said easily. "Let's start with an easy one ... like taxes. Part of your job right now is to be a consultant on the taxes being levied on the citizens. Right?"
I nodded.
"... Except that people don't like to pay taxes. If they had their druthers, they would get the protection and services of the kingdom without paying a cent. Of course, they also realize that something for nothing is an unrealistic situation, so they accept the necessary evil of taxes. They accept it, but the don't like it. Because they don't like it, there is going to be an ongoing level of resentment and grumbling. Whatever the tax assessment is, it's too high, and whatever the level of services is, it's too low. That resentment is going to be forced on anyone involved with setting the taxes, which includes you and everyone else who works at the castle."
He shook his head.
"What I'm saying is that if you're in a position of decision making and power, such as you are now, you can forget about being liked by the people who are affected by your decisions. The best you can hope for is respect."
"Wait a minute," I said, "are you saying that people can respect you without liking you?"
"Sure," Aahz said easily. "That one I can give you dozens of examples on. Since we're on the subject of taxes and finances, consider Grimble. You respect his skill and dedication even though you don't particularly like him as a person. Right?"
I had to admit that he was right there.