Comments on: My Search for the Bushido in George W. Bush http://www.soulshelter.com/prosperity/my-search-for-the-bushido-in-george-w-bush/ Live. Work. Thrive. Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:59:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: by Tim http://www.soulshelter.com/prosperity/my-search-for-the-bushido-in-george-w-bush/comment-page-1/#comment-109 by Tim Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:21:09 +0000 http://www.soulshelter.com/2008/02/07/my-search-for-the-bushido-in-george-w-bush/#comment-109 Good picking, Chris. Your statement is indeed more accurate (if somewhat less snappy for a self-help tome). BTW, you will find plenty of history and Japan buffs who will take great exception to Bushido as expounded by Nitobe, citing the book's lack of historical accuracy, etc. But I think books can hold great truths even if they aren't entirely "accurate." Are the Koran, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Bible "accurate"? Maybe not, but they hold great truths—and more important, they're incredibly useful for a billion people (not that I put Bushido in the same class). Thanks for the on-target observation! Now I'm going to give him the Japan stuff a rest for awhile ... Good picking, Chris. Your statement is indeed more accurate (if somewhat less snappy for a self-help tome).

BTW, you will find plenty of history and Japan buffs who will take great exception to Bushido as expounded by Nitobe, citing the book’s lack of historical accuracy, etc.

But I think books can hold great truths even if they aren’t entirely “accurate.” Are the Koran, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the Bible “accurate”? Maybe not, but they hold great truths—and more important, they’re incredibly useful for a billion people (not that I put Bushido in the same class).

Thanks for the on-target observation! Now I’m going to give him the Japan stuff a rest for awhile …

]]> By: Chris http://www.soulshelter.com/prosperity/my-search-for-the-bushido-in-george-w-bush/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Chris Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:50:58 +0000 http://www.soulshelter.com/2008/02/07/my-search-for-the-bushido-in-george-w-bush/#comment-106 Really enjoyed the post. Wanted to pick a nit with one statement you made. "When a leader has failed, only his replacement can restore an organization’s credibility." This is a non sequitur. Leaders are human and humans by definition make mistakes. We can't expect perfection in our leaders... well, we can, but we'll guarantee that our expectations cannot be met. The eight virtues you cite don't include perfection among them. They provide a framework for making decisions (things to consider while choosing a course of action) and we as a society generally subscribe to the idea that decisions made out of this virtuous framework will at least be right-intentioned if not right. I think this might be more accurate: When a person in a position of leadership has shown that they cannot or will not lead, only his replacement can restore an organization's credibility. Really enjoyed the post. Wanted to pick a nit with one statement you made.

“When a leader has failed, only his replacement can restore an organization’s credibility.”

This is a non sequitur. Leaders are human and humans by definition make mistakes. We can’t expect perfection in our leaders… well, we can, but we’ll guarantee that our expectations cannot be met.

The eight virtues you cite don’t include perfection among them. They provide a framework for making decisions (things to consider while choosing a course of action) and we as a society generally subscribe to the idea that decisions made out of this virtuous framework will at least be right-intentioned if not right.

I think this might be more accurate:
When a person in a position of leadership has shown that they cannot or will not lead, only his replacement can restore an organization’s credibility.

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