Today’s Thinking Out Loud reflection is on Aesop’s Fable, Mischievous Dog. Aesop’s Fables is available for free download here.
The Fable
“There was once a Dog who used to snap at people and bite them
without any provocation, and who was a great nuisance to every one
who came to his master’s house. So his master fastened a bell round
his neck to warn people of his presence. The Dog was very proud of
the bell, and strutted about tinkling it with immense satisfaction.
But an old dog came up to him and said, “The fewer airs you give
yourself the better, my friend. You don’t think, do you, that your
bell was given you as a reward of merit? On the contrary, it is a
badge of disgrace.”
Note: Have you met people who like to scream and bully people around? I have. These folks will confront anyone who disagrees with them or doesn’t bend to their desires. They have an insatiable need to be important, to always be right, and to maintain their illusion of power. Like the dog in the story, these folks would do much better with a good dose of humiliation. They mistake fear for adoration. It’s always better when we set our ego aside another and understand that we’re not always right; that other people have good ideas and constantly attacking others is not the best way to solve problems.