The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17
PLEASING OTHER PEOPLE.

Inc pleasing VI OlIlCI POOPAS - 1890
times taught as duty, yet the lesson, to
be of real benefit, needs many quallhca-
tons and exceptions. 1t is of course ones
duty to be agreeable within the limitations
of honesty and good faith, and it is selfish
and wrong to disregard others and please
ones self only, but between the extremes
there is mean that is better than either.
The first duty Of every man is to be honest
and true to himself; if without sacrlhclng
anything in this regard he can also please
others, it is his duty to do so, bnt he should
never set up the pleasing OF other people as
his prime duty. If he should do SO ne
would be sure to become weak and lrreso-
Lutte. now swerved this way and now that
by one friend or another. Moreover, in
thus trying to please people by gratifying
their whims he very often confers no real
benefit. The thoughtful friend who, while
trying to be agreeable, is guided by his
conscience may dissuade his companion
from an unwise course. He thus proves
his friendship in a much more substantial
way than the man who agrees with every
body in order to please them. An en-
ployer, unless exceptionally vain and
irrational, thinks less of the sycophants
who try to please him by agreeing with
him in everything than he does of those
who consider his interests and honestly
differ from him when they consider it their
l,,@x 40 T. lnnc MD thew
have nothing to gain by disagreeing with
him and that when they take such course
it is out of real regard for his interests,
which they are employed to promote, and
he also understands that those who are
most ready to agree to everything DO so
unthinkingly and are rendering him the
service of machines. There are, of course,
chronic grumblers, who just as unthink-
ingly oppose all innovations, but they can
be easily distinguished from those who
have reasons to present for the faith that
is in them. Conspicuous public examples
of the failures that result from attempts to
please other people without regard to prin-
ciples or conscience are to be found in the
lives of certain politicians. The men who
succeed in both getting high office and
holding it with honor to themselves are not
the schemers who try to please everybody
with their elastic opinions, but the men OF
positive mold, who, though courteous to
their opponents, are firm in their principles
and would rather suffer defeat than yield
to time serving faction. Such men are
types of what all should be-courteous, not
offensive in their dealings with those who
differ from them, but making no effort to
please anybody merely for the sake OF
pleasing. Around such man an earnest
party may be rallied, fitted to win success
and command respect. Around the mere
schemer, whose opinions are subject to
change according to the element he may be
for the moment seeking to please, it is i'm.
possible to rally a homogeneous party
Taking color from it's leader, it is wavering
irresolute, unstable and liable at any mo.
ment to be resolved into its factional ele.
ments. In the petty affairs of life, as vel
as in public positions, similar qualities are
required to command honorable success
The sycophant is the type of men who wan
to please others. The idea of a sycophan
is usually associated with the flatterers o.
princes and great men, who fawn upon thu
latter that they may get favors, but there
are sycophants who behave in the same
way to their friends and associates, to thei
employers and to all with whom they come
in contact. Their aim is to please, and thi.
they do sometimes by turning informers
sometimes bya great show of zeal in service
sometimes by agreeing with everything
suggested and even carrying it furthe
than was intended, but always with on
purpose in view-that of pleasing anothe
without regard to conscience and for tn
purpose of pleasing. This is very diff
ferent thing from being agreeable ant
pleasing another unconsciously. One ma,
and, indeed, should do that if possible. TIL
ideal man is frank when frankness is re
quired, but not obtrusive; he has opinion
which he withholds when they would Civ
offense, provided the Withholding of then
does not put him in a false position; he
courteous in giving expression to contrar
views, but not apologize or weak; abov
all, he is honest and sincere in all that h
does. Such man is to be treasured a
employe or friend far above the sycophan
who, endeavors to please from selfish mo
tives, and in the end he attains withou
striving for it the object sought by tn