Friendship quotes

 

 Through thick and thin, even if there are better things to do, a true friend will love you and show it. In the end, it's actions that matter, not well-meaning words.

 Turkish Proverb: He who seeks a friend without defects will remain friendless. – This Turkish proverb invites us to reflect on what we demand from others in comparison to what we demand from ourselves. No one is perfect, because we are all human. Just like all people, we have flaws that our loved ones (hopefully) accept (and maybe even appreciate). Rejecting an individual because we don't like her/his defects says a lot about our own self-esteem. If your friends have many good qualities, the defects should not matter so much. Focus on their great qualities, not their defects.

  Sir Francis Bacon on Friendship: Friendship multiplies happiness and divides misery. – We have already learned that shared joy is double joy. Man is a social animal no matter how much he tries to isolate himself. Therefore, there is no better condition than to be understood and supported by friends through thick and thin. A good friend will always know when you need a listening ear or a good laugh.

  Quotes about friendship are often of anonymous origin, like this one. Many people measure their personal worth by the number of friends they have. However, this is a mistake. – Quantity is not the same as quality. Remember that true friends can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Those who brag about having friends all over the world are not really friends with anyone. With a true friend, you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not, because there's a special bond there.

 Elbert Hubbard: A friend is someone who knows everything about you, but still loves you.

 The Italian writer Carlo Dosis warns us about those who call themselves our friends, but in reality are not. – They are only with you when life is going well, when the world is smiling at you. They only care about you because of your influence over others, not because they want your friendship. Don't worry if you initially find it difficult to distinguish between true friends and fake ones. As you go through tough times, you will notice the absence of certain friends and their lack of concern for you. Value the friends that remain, not the ones that let you down. – A true friend will always be honest with you and never use you for his own gain. Friends are a family you choose yourself, so taking care of them is of the utmost importance.

 Good friends don't have to be perfect, and they don't always have to be ready to help. It is enough that they accept you, are interested in what is happening in your life and that they are willing to listen to you. Friendship is both a simple and profound gift.

How  to achieve Greatness

 True  friendship means that the true friends understand each other. If your true friend has flaws (from your viewpoint), you should make sure you understand why. Because when you understand why you can still be friends. To achieve greatness you need to be able to understand. That is the secret behind greatness.

Todde

Also check: 

https://axiom1b.blogspot.com/2015/03/friends-true-friend-is-someone-you-know.html

Overpopulation and the Future of mankind

 The basic problem of our civilisation is human overpopulation. And there is no real sign of mankind handling this problem. Only ecology (life) and our limited physical resourses have a chance of handling the situation for us.

 Watch the Green Energy lie and the truth of overpopulation (the overpopulation problem is discussed 45 minutes into the program).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE

 Michael Moore presents Planet of the Humans, a documentary that dares to say what no one else will — that we are losing the battle to stop climate change on planet earth because we are following leaders who have taken us down the wrong road — selling out the green movement to wealthy interests and corporate America.

 This film is the wake-up call to the reality we are afraid to face: that in the midst of a human-caused extinction event, the environmental movement’s answer is to push for techno-fixes and band-aids. It's too little, too late. Interview with Jeff, Michael, and Ozzie (1hr 40min)

 Removed from the debate is the only thing that MIGHT save us: getting a grip on our out-of-control human presence and consumption. Why is this not THE issue? Because that would be bad for profits, bad for business.

 Have we environmentalists fallen for illusions, “green” illusions, that are anything but green, because we’re scared that this is the end—and we’ve pinned all our hopes on biomass, wind turbines, and electric cars? No amount of batteries are going to save us, warns director Jeff Gibbs (lifelong environmentalist and co-producer of “Fahrenheit 9/11” and “Bowling for Columbine").

 This urgent, must-see movie, a full-frontal assault on our sacred cows, is guaranteed to generate anger, debate, and, hopefully, a willingness to see our survival in a new way—before it’s too late. Featuring: Al Gore, Bill McKibben, Richard Branson, Robert F Kennedy Jr., Michael Bloomberg, Van Jones, Vinod Khosla, Koch Brothers, Vandana Shiva, General Motors, 350.org, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Nature Conservancy, Elon Musk, Tesla.

Todde 

The caretaker Ulf, a libertarian role model

 Humanity would be nothing without colorful characters. Anyone who for the first time conceived a new thought or set out a new path has had to deviate from the crowd - and not infrequently had to pay a social price for this.

Yet this is the source of all societal development. The liberal thinker John Stuart Mill (1806-73) succinctly formulates this thought in his classic work "On Liberty" from 1859. He who follows others may well happen to be led right, but that only requires the ability to follow. On the other hand, observation, reflection, judgement, firmness and self-control are required of the person who deviates. Even our own spiritual growth depends on how we develop the ability to use our own judgment and go our own way.

 These are important lessons in every age and in every society, perhaps above all for those who are young.

 That's why I'm happy when I read about Ulf Byström, janitor at a high school in Gothenburg, Sweden. Byström has worked in the school world for over 20 years, mostly as a teacher. There are no objections to his work performance. However, the municipality recently decided that service staff at all schools should in Gothenburg wear uniform black work clothes. This did not suit Byström, who likes to wear pink and Hawaiian shirts, clothes that cheer up the students and facilitate conversation. He experienced the clothing requirements as degrading because they are not needed for his work: "It's about the principle. I don't like people telling me what to do when there's no reason for it."

 When Byström carried out his work in his own clothes, he was called to "awareness talks" (a strikingly Orwellian term) where he was threatened with remarks about refusal to work and dismissal. Then he himself decided to get away form that  school and resigned. "I guess I'll have to become a teacher again. Then you get to choose which clothes you want."

 With his actions, Ulf Byström has pedagogically shown how as a citizen of a free country you can not only make your voice heard, but also choose to follow it. In an age where individuality is often confused with self-absorbed and anxious attempts to please others, he has shown courage to be himself.

 Hopefully Gothenburg's municipal gray school bureaucracy can agree. Our society hardly gives too much space to colorful characters.

 PS. We have something we call The Ultimate Test for a being. It goes something like this: Almost anyone can take over positions in well-ordered system and make it continue to function. But there are very few individuals who are able to bring order where there is chaos.

Todd

Please also check Socrates' Gossip Filter:

https://axiom1b.blogspot.com/2015/06/socrates-gossip-filter-gossip-slander.html