- The act or practice of deceiving: cunning, deceit, deceitfulness, double-dealing, duplicity, guile, shiftiness. See honest/dishonest.
- An indirect, usually cunning means of gaining an end: artifice, device, dodge, feint, gimmick, imposture, jig, maneuver, ploy, ruse, sleight, stratagem, subterfuge, trick, wile. Informal shenanigan, take-in. See honest/dishonest, means.
Why is it that so many people in this world think that deception is the key to their success? I mean, why do people expend the effort to deceive when a simple question will, 99% of the time, get them the information that they need?
You know the drill. Someone asks you a seemingly innocent question, then a follow up, usually including some form of flattery, then another follow up with more flattery, then it’s goodbye, thanks, great job man. And a short time later you learn that the information you gave them is used to disparage you or someone you know. And the information isn’t even confidential or all that far from common knowledge – if they had just asked you straight up for the info, you would have given it to them and said adios, never needing or asking for the false flattery in the first place.
If these people would apply the same amount of energy to the task at hand, they would produce superior results! But instead, they use their time and energy on meaningless filler, the end result being a hack job with no real purpose other than to please whatever master they are serving that day. I’d say it was interesting but it isn’t, it’s just sorta sad that talent is wasted by so many people as they try to serve their master, never serving the Master. As the Master said:
Matthew 5:37 Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.
The Dude says
February 24, 2007 at 5:10 pmBeen awhile since I’ve talked with you BigJ. The theme of this post really resonates with me. You provide an excellent Biblical perspective on a thing that I really value, but often find lacking: directness. Nowhere do I find the lack of directness more evident than at work.
It would be easy to say, “ahhhh, who cares? It’s just work.” But “just work” is between 50 and 60 hours a week of my time. It kills me to have someone dance around what they really want to say. I have less problem with someone who presents a postion I disagree with than someone who tries to sugar-coat their position. Why play games? It’s juvenile. Adults should be able disagree in an agreeable manner. Indeed you are correct in that we all too often serve the wrong master.
Bigjolly says
February 25, 2007 at 6:59 pmYou got that one right. People, in general, spend far more time with their co-workers than with their families today. I suppose it was different in the “old days” of farming but today, your work is at the very least your second family. That is why it is frustrating to me when people don’t think enough of their relationships at work to be a living example of Christ’s love. If you don’t love your “family”, how can you love your neighbor?
Bigjolly says
February 25, 2007 at 9:57 pmBTW, that Sargeophant thing is way cool.