Yeah, I'm working on that....

There is an excellent piece here, which I found through Mamamontezz (hat tip). I find a lot of truth in it. With a little introspection, I can definitely say that I tend toward the barbarian side of the mean.

"...To be virtuous is to be "manly." As Aristotle understood it, virtue is a "golden mean" between the extremes of excess and deficiency. Too often among today's young males, the extremes seem to predominate. One extreme suffers from an excess of manliness, or from misdirected and unrefined manly energies. The other suffers from a lack of manliness, a total want of manly spirit. Call them barbarians and wimps. So prevalent are these two errant types that the prescription for what ails our young males might be reduced to two simple injunctions: Don't be a barbarian. Don't be a wimp. What is left, ceteris paribus, will be a man...."

Recently I was scolded by one of my collegues for my language. Although I muttered an apology, I basically blew her off even thoug she was correct in doing so; one of the bad habits I still retain from my days in the Marines is my obscene language. I am good about censoring myself in front of patients, and during official activities, but I should also try to curb it elsewhere. I am barbaric at my core. So are animals. The difference between a man and an animal is that an animal knows what it is and accepts it, while a man knows what he is but he does not. A man dreams of better and strives for more. So yes, I shall try to watch my language (which is especially vulgar when I get riled up). I think I would have avoided blowing my collegue off if she had not treated me like one of her children by grabbing my arm and shaking it to make her point. Oh well, at least I didn't shoot her the line about removing her hand or drawing back a bloody stump (which I very nearly did).

Respectfully Submitted,

doc Russia