Universal Constant: “All things in Moderation.”

Preface: Universal Constants is a series where I post bits of common knowledge that may be relevant to any or all aspects of life as we know it. These are “undeniable” principles of reality that often span the fields of philosophy, theology, history, psychology, science and politics.

Ever hear of the saying “Too much of a good thing”? That is exactly what I’m talking about, but not just the “obvious” stuff like food, drink, TV, etc. I mean the practice of moderation in ALL aspects of life. If not, you tend to ignore the basics; spouse, family, friends, relaxation and personal growth, among others.

Any vice or virtue can be taken to an unhealthy extreme. Of course, activities like too much eating, drinking, smoking, sunbathing, recreational drug use, playing, gambling and other such vices can all end with disastrous results. But even things that most people would normally consider virtues can turn malevolent. Becoming a workaholic, devoting all your extra time to charity work or obsessing over a hobby or a health kick robs you of time that you should be spreading over any number of facets of your life.

The same can be said of a person’s views on religion, politics, social issues, etc. Taking a solid stand on these issues is admirable and everyone’s right, but again you can take it too far. When you cross that line and become a religious fanatic, a staunch straight-ticket republican/democrat or a militant activist you blind yourself to any other possible point of view. You are no longer open to constructive debate, because you will no longer accept compromise. Without compromise no issue can ever be truly resolved.

When you devote the lion’s share of your time to any one thing you sacrifice your involvement in everything else. Everyone needs to live a well-rounded life to be happy and healthy. Each of our lives has a balance point, much like an old naval compass. When the balance gets out of whack, we loose direction, stability and purpose. When you fail to practice moderation in ALL aspects of life you risk drowning in a sea of your own obsession.

Business; Bigger isn't Better.

I have worked for three different companies over the last 22 years. At each place there have always been the “old timers”, people that have been working at that one place for 20+ years. When asked about the “good ol’ days” these people all say the same thing. They talk about how fun it used to be to come to work. How they used to kid around with supervisors and the feeling at work was light-hearted and upbeat. But those days seem long gone.

What happened to company sponsored holiday parties, picnics and outings? What happened to incentive programs to reward employees who put in that extra effort? What happened to talking face-to-face to an employee and trying to work problems out, rather than hiding behind “company policy.” Whatever happened to showing a little mutual respect towards one another, regardless of who has official authority?

In my humble opinion, the start of the downward spiral of American industry was when companies stopped treating their employees like an extended family and started treating them like any other resource, to be used up and discarded. When owners stopped caring about the people that work for them and started to abuse that relationship that was when the great rift opened up. It became a situation of “us” against “them” and the need for unions came about, followed quickly by legislation to protect worker’s rights.

I would love to see the day when unions were no longer needed. When companies would police themselves in an ethical and moral fashion, at least in regards to their employees. But due to the manner in which the corporate world has evolved I don’t think that will ever happen. My only hope for this daring dream is small business.

Big business is just that, too big, too many people involved. More to the point, there are too many levels of hierarchy. Far too much separation between the low level “grunts” and the big-wigs upstairs. But small business (SMB), by its very nature, has very few levels of hierarchy. This means the owners don’t risk falling out of touch with all levels of the company. Its easier to stay aware of potential problems when everyone retains a face, rather than becoming merely a number.

It is my firm belief that small business is the key to America’s future. SMBs provide jobs, improve the local economy and (among other things) helps to fill the growing gap between the economic classes. So please, support your local small businesses.

The Self-fulfilling Prophecy

I find it incredibly ironic that both the Christian and Islamic religions talk about the prediction of “End of Days”, the day that this great experiment will end and we shall all be judged by God. Call it what you will, Judgment Day, Armageddon, Ragnarok, Rapture, whatever. They both warn of its imminent arrival, in fact many believe we are in the final days right now.

It seems to me that “they” may be right. I fear that we are closer to total annihilation than ever before, except not by God’s will, but by Man’s. The warring between Christians and Muslims has slowly escalated over the centuries. The fact that the world has gotten “smaller”, through technology, hasn’t helped. Instead of just hearing stories about one another, each side can simply turn on a TV or surf the Web to see what the infidels or barbarians are saying about each other. This just fuels the fire of the extremists on both sides. And it is the extremists that are the problem.

Now, from what I understand, both sides believe in Satan. They think of “him” as the great Tempter, among other things. I also understand that the only reason an almighty God permits Satan to tempt us is to allow us a choice, free-will. If this is true, then why all the fighting? If you believe that your religion it right, teach it to those who are ignorant of it. Those who convert find salvation, in your eyes anyway. Those who don’t won’t, but isn’t that the name of the game?

If either side had its way, they would convert everyone to their religion and why not? They are the true religion, right? But to force everyone to convert to Islam or Christianity by the point of a sword, spear or the barrel of a gun is NOT God’s plan. Free-will, remember!? So, for all these many centuries, each side has really been killing each other to accomplish the exact opposite of God’s will, “His” design. To take away each person’s choice to worship who and whatever way they will.

And therein lays the irony.