One of the things I like about being Jewish is that we've narrowed all human behavior down to essentially two states.
You're either:
1. a schmuck
or
2. a mensch
Schmucks, to be completely solipsistic about this are schmucks. They put their names on work they didn't do. They show up late for meetings. They speak when they have nothing to say. They shirk responsibility. They shoot first and ask questions later.
Mensches do good. They are honest. They help people. They do the right thing. In their own way, whether it's large or small, they make the world better.
That's how I divide the agency world.
I know I am, in the words of my daughters "all judgey and hatey." But that's how I see things.
There are schmucks.
There are mensches.
As far as I'm concerned, we all have a choice. Which we choose to be.
In advertising we have to work with both sorts. We have to get along. We have to co-exist with schmucks. Make peace with schmucks. We often have to lunch with schmucks.
That's just the way things are.
Sorry if I'm acting like a schmuck.
George,
ReplyDeleteYour writing always reminds me of one of my favourite books 'Keys To The City' by Joel Kostman (which in turn reminds me of 'Down And Out In Paris And London' by George Orwell): http://www.amazon.com/Keys-City-Tales-York-Locksmith/dp/0140279474/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1320915589&sr=1-1
Just ordered the book, Dave. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeletea schmuck would not have written that post - which means you must be a mensch....
ReplyDeletenot to be a shmuck but i would never say "hatey"
ReplyDelete