Futurelawyer

Embrace The Suck. Freedom Was Born On The Fourth Of July.

After the hard work, when you are enjoying lying around the pool, eating hot dogs and going to baseball games, (Rays are at home today), it might be a good idea to remember that Stoic philosophy built the nation you live in. We declared our freedom on this day. Now, what are we doing with it?

What Building a Country Requires (From the Daily Stoic)

"It’s July 4th, 1776.

Think about where America was in that moment: Blood in the streets. A revolution against an empire. Families ripped apart because a war forced them to choose sides. Hopeful successes on the battlefield repeatedly followed by dispiriting defeats. The uncertainty of victory, shrouded in the certainty of death and misery and suffering for what could be years...if they were lucky. It had only been a year since George Washington assumed command of the Continental Army, and the hardest years were still ahead for the loose coalition of patriots fighting for self-determination. Fighting, as we would call it today, for their country.

All of this while there wasn’t even a real country to speak of. “America” was just an idea. We were still nearly 13 years away from the election of General Washington as the first American president. In fact, on July 4, 1776, you were more likely to call yourself a “Virginian” or a “Pennsylvanian” than you were an “American.” What does one need in a crisis like that? They need something to turn to, something to turn inward toward that provides strength and solace and a higher calling. In the case of the Founders of the future United States of America, what they turned to was a philosophy called Stoicism.

Thomas Jefferson kept a copy of Seneca on his nightstand. George Washington staged a reproduction of a play about Cato at Valley Forge in the winter of ‘77/’78 to inspire the troops. Patrick Henry cribbed lines from that play which we now credit to him: “Give me Liberty or give me death!” It is hardly an exaggeration to say that the United States might not have an independence day to celebrate if the Founding Fathers hadn't been inspired by Cato, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.

At the core of the American experiment was liberty. At the core of Stoicism we have not only a love of freedom, but the counterbalancing virtues to that freedom: Justice. Duty. Self-Control. Honor. Selflessness. These are the traits that were required not only in those dark days of revolution, as bloody footprints from starving soldiers marked the snows in New Jersey and New York, but also the traits needed equally now in moments of prosperity and plenty, division and distraction.

So today, while you’re grilling and relaxing with friends, remember that the comfort you enjoy now grew out of a philosophy that was made to embrace discomfort and to do the right thing, whatever the costs. Remember that the American victory over the British came first because a group of American Stoics first found victory over themselves.

Seneca said, “Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.” The Founding Fathers built a country on that very foundation. They employed the Stoic virtues like a hammer and chisel, like saw and nail, to master their passions, divisions, tempers, interests and strive to be something better—something more—than they were remotely capable of being in the years of their colonial youth.

Shouldn’t you?"

The Assault On Free Speech Isn't About Politics.

Matt Taibbi Statement To Congress On The Twitter Files. Whether coming from the political left or the political right, the assault on the founding principle of our democracy - free speech, should frighten every American. Whether you call it Cancel Culture, or collaboration between social media and the government to silence critics who have different views from yours, censorship has no place in a functioning democracy. The fact that current censorship efforts come from the left makes them no less sinister than the censorship of the Fifties, and the communist scare. We will either be a beacon of liberty and the right to say unpopular things, or we won't. I stand with every American who supports the right of my fellow citizens to speak their mind. End of rant.

Thank God There Was No Internet When I Was In High School.

Cancel culture would have a field day with my high school class. Can you imagine what Twitter would do with some of the stuff we said in high school? We never said "Penguins walk funny"; but there were a lot of penguin jokes about the nuns. And, don't get me started on the priests who measured the girls' skirts. OMG. 

Most Of Us Are In The Middle Of This Catfight.

Stuck Between Two Parties. First, a warning. Bridget Phetasy (my new heroine) doesn't mince words when she discusses what we "normals" feel about the current division in our country. She liberally uses the F*** word; so, if that offends you, don't read her article. Second, I share her view that most of us feel like a kid in the back seat listening to a screaming argument between our parents in the front seat. We are terrified, and upset, and unsettled. But, after a while we are just angry. Why can't they just get along? The answer, it appears, is that someone is making a lot of money, and it isn't the rest of us. We don't have a banner bearer. Richard Nixon called us the "silent majority". So, we keep silent, and hope that the angry voices on both sides of the issues don't see us and go on the attack. I have often described myself as apolitical. I still am. But, now I am angry. Let's not be silent any longer.

#WhyIAmASolo - It Is Much Easier To Be An Individualist.

While it is a good thing to have empathy for others, and to do your best to help those who cannot help themselves, the choice of when to do that should not be dictated by others. Individualists built America. Individualists cannot help others until they are comfortable being themselves. It is much easier to find the freedom to be a help to others when you are a solo. Large law firms can certainly cultivate an environment in which all are encouraged to act independently; but, for the large organization to survive, some controls must be in place, or everything will lead to chaos. Solo practice has given me the freedom to act alone, the decide for myself what needs to be done, and the basis for the happiness that results when one is not a slave to any other person. 

#WhyIAmASolo - I Am The Only Annoying Guy In The Room.

Okay, those of you in BigLaw. Do you play annoying guy bingo at work? Oh, sorry. Do you play annoying "person" at work? Another benefit to being a solo. I can't be cancelled for something I say at work. One of my favorite things to do at work is to sit at my desk and say: "My favorite football team used to be the Washington Redskins". 

Remind Me Never To Say Washington Redskins Around Rat.

Rat is having too much fun being a Cancel Culture Warrior.

From The Washington Redskins (Chief Zee) To The Washington Commanders (A Pink Hog With A Helmet).

One of the oldest, and most storied NFL franchises has finally dropped off of a cliff of political correctness. I was a Skins fan from my youth, in Jacksonville, Florida, when the D.C. based Skins were televised in black and white to the entire Southeastern U.S. They were never champions; but, we loved them, and I grew up with them. When I reached adulthood, I flew into D.C. for games, and brought Jacquelyn and the kids to games. Their first exposure to the wonderful Capital city and the Smithsonian and its museums was on those weekends. The Redskins mascot, though unofficial, was Chief Zee, seen below, may he rest in peace. The logo was designed by a Native American, and it was a gesture of respect for Native Americans, until a vocal minority claimed they were "offended" by it. True to modern sensibilities, the NFL required the team to drop the name, and they were a No Name team until they became last year, the Commanders. Now, in the ultimate insult, the Hogs that symbolized the great offensive lines the Skins had in the Eighties and Nineties, has been caricatured into a smiling pink pig wearing a football helmet. All I can say is Thank God for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The symbolism on the big screen at Raymond James stadium is that of a pirate ship with murderous pirates, attacking and killing vessels filled with the opposing team in violent fury. That doesn't insult anyone, of course, unless you are a pirate in the Disney World ride, Pirates of the Caribbean, which removed the animatronic pirates chasing women around, from the ride, along with other politically incorrect images. This is virtue signaling run amok, and I refuse to play anymore. On a serious note, on the day after a tackle caused a player to almost die of a heart attack last night, and, in a sport in which players have developed serious brain injuries from constant violent hits in the head. perhaps the NFL should concentrate on the issue of player safety. Am I the only one who finds this a painful irony? 

We Are All Hypocrites.

Avoiding Disaster. Execupundit highlights a quote today that reminds us that, while hypocrisy in others bothers us, it is true that we ourselves act as hypocrites on occasion, and that society really can't function for long unless all are permitted to speak their truth without fear or favor. Opposing points of view are essential to the expression of a stable democracy. So, celebrate your hypocrisy and that of your neighbor. Listen and learn. You might be surprised at the result.

#WhyIAmASolo - I Don't Have To Avoid Controversial Subjects With An Interviewer.

Interviewing - Leave The Dad Jokes At Home. I can tell Dad jokes anytime I want. I don't have to moderate my humor or my language in a job interview in order to work for a salary or wage at a company controlled by someone else. This advice is in the linked article: "The first thing to keep in mind is to avoid controversial topics, as well as self-deprecating jokes. However, showing that you have self-awareness and can laugh at yourself is key. Consider using humor relevant to your industry when discussing a lesson learned in a past position." Are you kidding me? If you are having to worry about offending a prospective employer in a job interview, maybe you should reconsider that or any other such employment. It is still possible to go solo as a lawyer right out of school. In fact, it is probably easier, since you don't need a lot of overhead expenses. With computers and the Internet, you can practice law out of any space. I do it in an old house converted to an office, in a home office that used to be a garage, and in an RV. I remember, in the early days of computing, practicing law in a laundromat at Yosemite National Park. I connected a 300 baud modem to the handset on a payphone, and sent an email. I have crawled under beds in motels to connect a computer to the RJ-11 phone jack. I hate to be the guy who talks about walking miles to go to school ;but, be aware that you really don't have to get a job to be a lawyer. Sure, you might make a lot of money; but, if you have to dial back your personality and soul to get the job, you have lost something more important than money. Just sayin'.