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seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
Tue Dec 16, 2014, 11:52 AM Dec 2014

what happens when you walk away from principle.

principle.

principle has always been relatively easy for me. the environment and time i was raised in. an innate striving for the better of who we are. the outside the box, parents i had.

my oldest is back from university. new orleans. a city of liberal, progressive, and massive diversity.

he is majoring in philosophy, to then go on to law school. he has been going for a year and half, yet sits as a junior. taking a lot of his interesting 4th yr classes, his freshman and sophomore yrs. next semester he is taking a 5 year philosophy class, an invitation from the professor.

his world is a blast in thinking. i am lucky, because he so willingly shares with me, ....

he is pragmatic. goal oriented. and though not real inspired, saw law giving him the most opportunities and well within reach of his skills.

i always saw him as a college professor. and told him from the youngest of age. but, that was rejected. on my husbands side of the family, they tend to stick to doctor and mostly lawyer. that is their definition of success.

over the yrs, i kept this tone of success, tempered with the boys.

a yr and a half in, well along the path thru good grades, advanced courses, outside participations in these departments, he told me he was looking to change his direction. having taken international law and philosophy of law, he does not see the need, desire or want to live in a world of lie. he told me last night. being a lawyer is literally all about lying. in the past, he felt he was skilled enough to be able to do law, with integrity. that was his goal. on reflection, he sees this is not the world he wants to create for himself.

well thought out principle. see what his actions will create for his future.

this works for me in so many ways. without principle, what are we left with?

and it really is not that hard. it really is so easy for us to see. since it is so fuggin' easy, we have many people express it so well, so elegantly, so precise. dots to dot on principle.

and STILL, we miss the boat so often. what i see, an inability to perform, for many different reasons. there is ignorance, for sure. but mostly, i give credit to people that they do see, know, and refuse, principle.

when a principled approach to any given situation is not even allowed to be discussed, there is a problem.

especially for the defined progressive democrat.






3 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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what happens when you walk away from principle. (Original Post) seabeyond Dec 2014 OP
I have mercuryblues Dec 2014 #1
mmmmm. ... this is not really about my son. but, ya... the best of times. seabeyond Dec 2014 #2
Excellent analogy ismnotwasm Dec 2014 #3

mercuryblues

(14,532 posts)
1. I have
Tue Dec 16, 2014, 12:05 PM
Dec 2014

always told my daughter she would either be a lawyer or belonged in Hollywood when she grew up.

She could argue a point to the death and turn on the tears as needed.

I love the college years. The kids grow up and start making their place in the world. Such a joy to watch them come into their own.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
2. mmmmm. ... this is not really about my son. but, ya... the best of times.
Tue Dec 16, 2014, 12:14 PM
Dec 2014

all the years of watching them learn and grow, and to be at this age, and watch them make their choices.

it is very cool, and i have 8 right at that age. upper teens - mid twenties. i get teh reward of the work i put in. this son says, that he sees himself as an investment i make. odd odd and fun child.

but, i am talking more about the issue with principle here and now on du, and i find it particularly interesting since my son is doing it in the here and now, also.

how choice of following principle, or not creates two very different worlds for us all to live in.

i choose the life with principle. that is what we grapple with on du.

ismnotwasm

(41,984 posts)
3. Excellent analogy
Tue Dec 16, 2014, 12:18 PM
Dec 2014

As well grow older, or are not taught to think, we stiffen intellectually sometimes. We've made our minds up. Which is why the concept of principles are so important, people need a little guidance when they walk into dicy situations.

It's why say, the UNs declaration of human rights is important. All the way to It's why the TOS of a website is so important

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