A parable to meditate on in our politically correct society (Obama, cost)

[mike1003]

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town.

The boy rode on the donkey, and the old man walked.

As they went along they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, the old man is walking, the boy is riding."

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk".

So they decided they'd both walk.

Soon they passed some more people who remarked "They're really stupid to walk when they have a decent donkey to ride."

So they both decided to ride the donkey.

They passed some people who shamed them by saying "How awful to put such a load on a poor donkey."

The boy and the man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the donkey, the donkey fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story: If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

[No_Recess]

If Obama had a donkey...

[T-310]

Originally Posted by mike1003

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town.

The boy rode on the donkey, and the old man walked.

As they went along they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, the old man is walking, the boy is riding."

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk".

So they decided they'd both walk.

Soon they passed some more people who remarked "They're really stupid to walk when they have a decent donkey to ride."

So they both decided to ride the donkey.

They passed some people who shamed them by saying "How awful to put such a load on a poor donkey."

The boy and the man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the donkey, the donkey fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story: If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

Why I couldn't care less what people think of me and how I live my life. Their opinions and thoughts matter not at all to me.

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by mike1003

An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town.

The boy rode on the donkey, and the old man walked.

As they went along they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, the old man is walking, the boy is riding."

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Later they passed some people who remarked "What a shame, he makes that little boy walk".

So they decided they'd both walk.

Soon they passed some more people who remarked "They're really stupid to walk when they have a decent donkey to ride."

So they both decided to ride the donkey.

They passed some people who shamed them by saying "How awful to put such a load on a poor donkey."

The boy and the man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the donkey, the donkey fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story: If you try to please everyone, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

Love that one. Have put it away...a well told tale.

However it tends more to show how easily the people are mislead by those who talk - rather than thinking it through.

At the first critique you think about it and decide what is right. What can the donkey carry? With the mission of getting into town who should ride and who should walk? Are there social conventions that intervene? Does convention favor letting the kid or the old dude ride? Not suggesting anything wrong with not following the convenient...but there is always a cost to not...

Carrying the Ass is of course silly. Hard work and the Ass will be very annoyed about it. Ever try to pick up a large animal? And I would also observe that donkeys swim pretty well.

So in the end...do the right thing... and you will not have to kiss your ass goodbye!

[kat in aiken]

How is this story about being politically correct? I missed that part - to me it is about not thinking about what you are doing and how it can come back to bite you.