Futurelawyer

Illigitimi Non Carborundum

What To Do When You Meet A Jerk. Lawyers spend a lot of time meeting jerks. Some lawyers ARE jerks. We all meet toxic, nasty, obnoxious and otherwise unpleasant people every day. However, as Marcus Aurelius ( a wise man) said: "When you run up against someone else's shamelessness, ask yourself: Is a world without shamelessness possible?" Of course not. So, you have a cholce. You can allow the jerks in your world to affect how you live your life, or you can ignore them. Avoid them if you can. Tune them out if you can't. You get to decide how you react to them. I find it beneficial to feel sorry for them. They just don't know what happiness they are missing in this life. Since there have to be jerks in the world, we have to be exposed to them. But, we get to choose not to be jerks. Oh, and for those who don't know, the post title translates to: "Don't let the bastards grind you down". Good advice in a world full of jerks.

#WhyIAmASolo - We Are All Ozymandias

Ozymandias - Wikipedia. I recently read an article in Smithsonian Magazine about "America's Lawrence of Arabia", a short biopic about Wendell Philips, a swashbuckling amateur archaeologist who led expeditions to modern day Yemen in the 1950's and who, although on the cover of magazines with other famous people, has been largely forgotten. In the same magazines today, we read about famous people who spend their lives seeking fame and fortune. Shelley's poem Ozymandias, is about the forgotten great King Ramses II, symbolizing the impermanence of human life, and the inevitable decay of the memory of all men over time. Are you on the partner track at your law firm? Are you spending hours and days of your life seeking status, money and fame? If Ozymandias was reduced to a broken piece of statue buried in the desert and only found in 1817, do you believe that partnership will allow you to fare better? 

Percy Shelley's "Ozymandias" I met a traveller from an antique land Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand in the desert... near them, on the sand, Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its sculptor well those passions read Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed; And on the pedestal these words appear: 'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away

Crisis Management - Sounds Like Life

Execupundit.com: Thoughts on Crises. This is a great list of crisis management techniques and suggestions by Michael Wade, who has taught workshops on it. As I read it, all of the things that the modern media writes about as a "crisis", and its definition, swirled about in my head, and I thought about the Stoic principle "The Obstacle Is The Way". In fact, we could define every life as a series of crises; some not as challenging as others, but crises nonetheless. We often tell ourselves that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. This is just another way of saying that the greatest satisfactions in life come after we deal successfully with a crisis. Lawyers face clients in crisis all the time. We give advice about how to navigate the current problem, and, even in worst case scenarios, try to get the client to realize that, in life, all things end. Fate will determine what happens next. Learn to love whatever comes, and you will be prepared to face any crisis.

Ash Wednesday - A Stoic Tradition?

Ash Wednesday - Wikipedia. Ash Wednesday, in the Catholic tradition, is the first day of Lent, a period in which Christians fast and abstain from meat, and repent their sins. For a young boy, this was like going to Hell early. But, now, later in life, I am able to see the Stoic message behind the observance. The Stoics say "Memento Mori" or remember you will die, and counsel us to ponder our mortality every day. In this way, we are better prepared for the final moment. Whether you believe that something else exists after death is up to you. But, recognize that death is a certainty, and act accordingly. The prospect of a cross of ashes on our forehead was sobering to young boys and girls. Of course, the way Father Nolan did it resembled nothing like a Cross. I spent years thinking you were just supposed to have a big black smudge of ashes on your forehead. Oh well. Think about your death today. It will make you appreciate your life.

Clint Eastwood - Philosopher

In a time when masculinity is under attack, it is good to know that there are still men around who understand what it means to be a man. Clint Eastwood is one of those. Politics aside, he is a true Stoic, and knows what a life of virtue (the Stoic definition) should look like. 

"You show up on time. When you say you're going to do something, you try to do your best at it. You don't backstab people.You don't bitch and complain about what you're doing. Being compassionate is big. And it's always important to act like a gentleman."

- Scott Eastwood on the code taught by his father Clint Eastwood (1986)

American actor

Rat Knows The Way To Happiness

A Little Stoic Humor For Hump Day

Lorem ipsum - Pain And Pleasure

Lorem ipsum and the Meaning of Life %u2013 How to Think Like a Roman Emperor.  Lorem ipsum is a mangled Latin phrase taken from a Cicero text, and used in publishing as filler in graphic design applications. However, as Donald Robertson examines the actual Cicero text, the phrase acquires a subtext of meaning, and can be used to discuss the philosophers who pondered the meaning of life in early human history. Lorem is a piece of the word "dolorem", Latin for "pain". Ipsum means "very" in Latin. It is a nonsense phrase, taken out of context. However, the passage from Cicero that it comes from is a discussion of pain and pleasure, and humans' natural desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Of course, the Stoics tell us that pain is unavoidable, and the best way to deal with it is to welcome it as part of life, and to bear it with dignity. The Epicureans thought that pleasure was the ultimate good, and that it should be sought at all cost. Of course, as with all things, it gets complicated. Some find pleasure in pain, or the cessation of it. Some austere souls avoid pleasure, and find enjoyment in their austerity. Somewhere in all of this lies an understanding of life, and each of us gets to decide how we are going to live. You get to decide today whether you are going to accept the pain of your existence, as well as the pleasures the day provides, and get on with life, or curl up in a ball and avoid all sensations. I hope you decide to soldier on, and enjoy the day. It's the only one you've got.

The Power Of Words

"We are the Knights of Ni". "We want a shrubbery!" If you don't get this, and its relevance to modern day politics and society, you are no longer allowed to read the FutureLawyer page. Always remember: "It is but a scratch!" Were Jonathan Swift alive, he would be a Python fan.

 

Rat and Pig, the Stoics

Rat realizes that he can't control the externals and finds common ground with Pig.