I currently temp at the ACLU--American Civil Liberties Union--which is a land filled with Helens. You recall my high school chum of British descent who lived in a village in South India for a year in an effort to flex her crunchy, granola Middlebury education in a non-Peace Corps Save-the-Third-World effort. A girl with as much heart and noblesse oblige as a Teva-wearing, globe-trotting, foreign policy type can be. She recently got admitted to both Dartmouth and MIT for B-school and will soldier on in her efforts to make enough of a profit to stay afloat while making a difference in the non-profit/government sector. I digress. All this isn't irrelevant, it goes to illustrate the differences between me and the Helens of this world. I find myself in employ within a Helen world presently. A sobering reality in the context of my money-grubbing, conscience-lacking self-concept...I sense that in reconciling these differences I will discover my true path to career success.
It must be said that in my two days here I have encountered nothing but positive feedback in the kindest of words, a complete acceptance of my tardiness in light of my prolific turn-a-round time and delivery methods, and a general happiness that I now understand to be a passion and happiness with work and the work-life balance. Not to say they aren't a hard-working bunch but they seem to work without effort in the way that someone that loves what they are doing occupies their time. They also appear to seamlessly leave work at work and amble home on the earlier side of late to what I imagine to be smiling families around dinner tables awaiting their presence. Suburban Utopia in an Urban Microcosm?
I think the title says it all...depends on the mood--my mood!
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9 comments:
Well, I'm not sure about this world filled with Helens. Unfortunately, I don't believe in altruism. I think those who work in the area of "helping others" do it to give their lives meaning. It's the epitome of selfishness, to be honest.
Shows how much you know your "friends"...
Anonymous, you probably don't even have any friends and wouldn't know it's like to have any.
Well. Sweet and Vicious blog has picked up another surly, disgruntled stalker I see? Once upon a time that was my role, I suppose. I just want to affirm that this new gadfly is not me.
I have not been back for a visit (nor even a surf-by gawk) since I was asked to evacuate these 'virtual' premises. Guess this was about a year ago. Host was still working at DuetscheBank or something.
Anyway, you can tell this new guy is not me because I never insulted anyone with "fat chick" remarks.
Oh well. Good luck with this situation, comes with the territory I guess.
--A Cruel Man, but Fair
p.s. But y'know, I still think I was asked to leave unfairly, now that I think about it! lol
Cruel!
Hello and Welcome Back...I can only hope you are here to combat the poser hater by showcasing some class, albeit just in vernacular, in hating with the consistency and vehemence one can only imagine to be the stepchild of too many undergrad psych classes and a heavy dose of introspection.
I never suspected this weak adversary to be of your caliber--rest assured, I never doubted you returned to "check in" to leave without "comment". Didn't think that to be your style--not that I presume to know you, cruel sir...but I did indeed miss your often scathing, occassionally astute judgements of me and my way of life--though not your unkind comments about my friends and their choices.
Hope you are well and hating elsewhere with the fervor and skill you once executed on this lowly blog.
~Sweetly Vicious
Aye, well. . heh heh! Nice to be remembered. I sure caught a lot of flak in the days leading up to my dismissal from these environs (no hard feelings, naturally).
It was satisfying in one aspect: for one who had been apprehended by all here as somewhat of a troll, I'm glad I could demonstrate that a "Phantom of the Desi Blogs" could really cease and desist when asked politely. And I kept my word. Gave up this site completely without a look back.
Hope everyone has prospered and thrived in the interval. I am shocked (but pleased) to see you finally settled in with a good man.
Formerly, you were extremely difficult/fidgety about men. No one seemed to satisfy. Some hangup about only desiring extremely "thin and tall" guys. Among many other strange and insistent requirements.
D'Souza seems tall, but not particularly a fence-post, so perhaps you pushed past your own rule--commendable.
Other observations: in general you appear less in a 'fog' at this date. Blog posts are less maundering and indecisive. More focus on the happy, productive, external world. This bodes well.
Now, this new bloke hounding you. . I wouldn't side with him myself, not to worry. Not sure what he is particularly so sour about. I think his 'fat' comments are quite unreasonable and narrow. Absurd.
Anyway as far as I am concerned, I have changed my ways. . there's no one on the internet I am whetting my axe on these days. Bigger fish to fry, as it were.
Of course, I am still very cruel and critical . . . maybe even more so. But I still strongly adhere to justice in my dealings.
Whenever I encounter those who are
Sweet and Vicious, I am. .
Cruel but Fair
p.s. Not to jump right back to my old habits, Host--but I definitely disagree with whichever one of your Helens came out with a diss on altruism and good works.
Many religions and philosophies from dozens of ancient cultures down through the ages promote altruism.
The legions of people who have directed their personal energies to these ends, often at great sacrifice, can hardly all be considered as having an underlying motive of self-centeredness.
In fact the essence of true altruism is the abnegation of the self, and there are many, many examples of people who have done so.
It is chary (to say the least) to imply that any great number of samaritans felt their lives had 'no meaning' before making the very difficult choice to give up their careers and home lives in order to ease the pain of their fellows. Some people swerve away from very meaningful lives to pursue the greater good.
I once met an older, American woman in the filthiest slum in Rio de Janeiro, she had previously been a well-off and prominent member of Philadelphia society. She gave up her comforts to live in a tin roofed building caring for orphans. Sleeping on a thin floor mattress every night.
To second-guess her motives, standing face-to-face with her, surrounded by overwhelming poverty which she willingly accepted in order to give comfort to dozens of homeless kids. . .
Well. You'd have to be a lot more cynical even than this Cruel and Opinionated Man to do that.
There are a myriad of motives, beliefs, and a wealth of non-selfish rewards for devoting one's life to others. People make amazing sacrifices all the time and selfishness is clearly not the root cause of it all.
Just my 0.2 cents
That's more like $2.00, CF!
I have to admit you are right. Always runnething over at the mouf.
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