Thursday, October 28, 2010

compromise?

What? You're saying I have to compromise? No optical drive? No ethernet plug? Limited upgrades possible in the future? Restricted platform? No keyboard? The computing device of my dreams has not yet been invented and/or the fundamental mind-reading technology that I asked for cannot ever exist? I'm shocked and appalled. Or possibly apathetic.

Compromise is inevitable. The eternal optimist part of me views compromise as a way of forcing you to decide what is truly important to your decision-making process. If you are purchasing some object, what features and specifications are desired, what is acceptable, what is unacceptable, what is the cost and how do you attach weight and significance to each of those variables? The always cynical pessimist part of me views compromise as a capitulation that you will not get what you want, but merely a (presumably) passable stop-gap until something better comes along. This is not entirely fair (of course) but merely an acknowledgment that what you want does not always exist. The pragmatist in me views compromise as the inevitable byproduct of form versus function, cost (in more than simple dollar terms) versus available resources, and uniqueness versus availability.

And is that why I am so ruthlessly judgmental about relationships, both of my own and those of others? Ideally, a nice lady-friend (yes, I like euphemisms) would be smarter than me yet without the arrogance I have about considering most people intellectual doormats, graceful and refined yet relaxed and casual in a folksy/charming sort of way, doesn't ever ask me to dance, independent and outgoing and yet able to just hang and relax, enthusiastic about life in general, optimistic with a twist of pragmatic cynicism, gives good back rubs, strong, tall with dark wavy hair, but simultaneously a touch of redhead in there and some light freckles yet not a propensity to sunburn (because that's just annoying), more patient than I have ever learned to be, and gets my absurd sense of humor and sarcasm without being offended. Easy, right? Like me, but way more awesome. And female.

Damn compromises.

5 comments:

buickguy said...

If you find the laptop of your dreams, buy 2 -- 1 for me. I won't be holding my breath.

notgoodenuf said...

Don’t beat around the bush. Are you a skeptic or a cynic? Compromise” is just like saying “it’s good enough.” “Good enough" is never good unless you are a politician.

The BP people must have thought the cement job was "good enough" at the time before it blew up.

nvrwrong said...

Accepting that you are indeed always right, and that there is no reason to feel guilty about it, is a good feeling. Why compromise? What relationship?

Brian said...

There was obviously a healthy amount of sarcasm in this post. Except for the laptop thing. I am looking for one.

Anonymous said...

BP Compromise?