The other day, my CEO (who sends a “thought” every day), sends this quote out to the company:
“Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less.” -Robert E. Lee
This is funny in so many ways. First off, the quote is inherently funny because it’s a quote about duty from a rebel general who was a pivotal part of a civil war (well, you see, there’s duty to your original country and duty towards your new spin-off country – oh, give me a break Bobby, you can’t even define duty so you shouldn’t be making up quotes for it). Secondly, it’s funny contextually because Mr. Duty was leading a revolt primarily about the right to keep dark-skinned people as slaves and, while not of African descent, our CEO (the quote-sender) is himself dark-skinned (Indian). I don’t think he’d even pass the paper bag test. And of course, there’s the standard corporate ridiculousness of comparing business to war. I’m sorry, but gaining or losing money (or jobs) is just not the same as watching your family get blown to pieces by a landmine or killing hundreds of people with your trusty rifle and maybe gutting a few with a bayonet.
About a month ago, there was another quote about fighting the good fight as a gladiator. Note: gladiators were slaves of a sort – there seems to be some kind of theme with slavery. I’m not feeling especially inspired for some reason.
Even funnier (although it does give better context for the quote), I just did a tiny bit of research and found that Robert E. Lee was actually opposed to slavery (and to the secession). He resigned from the Federal army to fight in a war for ideas he didn’t agree with. Here’s another interesting quote:
“So far from engaging in a war to perpetuate slavery, I am rejoiced that Slavery is abolished. I believe it will be greatly for the interest of the South. So fully am I satisfied of this that I would have cheerfully lost all that I have lost by the war, and have suffered all that I have suffered to have this object attained.”
– General Robert E. Lee, May 1, 1870