t v e Part 1.

At the end of All Quit on the Western Front, Remarque includes a very poignant but overlooked commentary on weariness. Paraphrased, the passage goes something like,

[we were young men hardened by war. We could have returned home with the inertia of struggling and built a grander Europe. But, the drudgery of that prolonged war drained our ambition. Had it been abbreviated a year or even a month… this could have made all the difference.]

Surprisingly, he seems to indicate that it wasn’t the fatigue of battle that killed their potential, but the inactivity and aimlessness.





Part 2.

Back in the collegiate day I was disheartened by the lack of credence given to my peers. All around me I saw ambitious, capable people who seemingly were not given enough responsibility or power. (Mainly I’m referring to Jardon, Stock, Anderson and a few others.) It was painful to watch that energy have no reasonable application while sluggish old farts rested on a) their laurels, and b) fat bee hinds.

Now, years later, I’ve seen some of the benefits of experience. It cuts through a lot of inefficiencies and waste. But, there is a price (see Part 1). Let’s say you’re hiring for your department, sports team, new venture, whatever. You can select candidates based on a zero-sum sliding bar of “energy” vs “experience”, ceteris paribus. Where would you peg it?

50-50%?
10-90%?
90-10%?

Feel free to define the terms as you please.

Labels: Give it the old college trifecta

  ¶ 4:19 PM