Leading from the Middle

Caption: Slacker Flt Catching a Free Ride. Artist unknown. From a 1590 Aesop.

"What a Dust do I raise! says the Fly upon the Coach-Wheel? and what a rate do I drive at, says the same Fly again upon the Horse's Buttock."
This Fly in the Fable, is every Trifling Arrogant Fop in Nature, by what Name or Title soever Dignify'd, or Distinguish'd.
_______________________________
One of my pithy favorite fables. And brought back in honor of the preceding blog, Deadwood, Quiet Quitters, Lifers, Goldbrickers, Shirkers, Slackers, et al..
While L"Estrange would add on exhaustive commentaries for each fable - often with in-depth philosophical analysis - I know of no one who translates these ancient truths with more vim and vigor.
How many workplace shirkers do you know? I knew a few, they were clever enough to keep their jobs, but their narcissism sure had a negative effect on co-workers. And, they opened their supervisors to criticism since it had to be the supervisor's fault, surely, that enabled for the Fly's selfishness!
*Source: Aesop's Fables translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange, 1692.


Copyright John Lubans 2017 and 2023

 

Your comment: Name: Website: E-mail: Remember Me