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Good Morning Friends,
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today is Wednesday July 8, 2009
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Back to work after a few days off. Just finished watching a movie about Robert McNamara. He died only a few days ago and I ran across his name on some of the discussion boards that I frequent. The movie " The Fog of War " was mentioned quite frequently so I thought I'd better get off my butt and check the thing out. I have a link to the movie down below a bit if you are interested in watching it.
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I remembered the name McNamara as being associated with President Kennedy and the Vietnam War. He was the Defence Secretary under Kennedy and under Johnston after Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.
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The thing that you immediately learn about McNamara is the he oversaw a lot of death and destruction. Not only was he intimately associated with the deaths of countless Japanese citizens during World War 2 and the bombing of Japanese cities, but also with the thousands of innocent Vietnamese as well. He would be in charge of the bombings that took place in the War in Vietnam. He seems genuinely hurt when he reflects upon these deaths that he was intimately responsible for.
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McNamara was a successful and rather smart man. He seems to somewhat self-made and had some good jobs. He did better than most during the Depression and he was even the boss at the Ford Motor Company. I didn't know that and I found that very interesting. He was basically a business school grad, but he was also interested in philosophy at university. Again, I found that interesting. He was impressed with the writings of Plato and Aristotle, for example.
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He was also on the front lines during the Cuban Missile Crisis as well and he tells us that the world was on the very brink of destruction as a consequence of this standoff with the Soviet Union and Kruschev. So, I would recommend that you watch the enclosed movie below and see what you think of Mr. Robert McNamara. I suppose since he took an interest in philosophy that is why he came up with some pointers for us about life. And, I have listed these things for you below. I am sure that I forgot a thing or two about the man, but maybe as you watch the film you will be able to fill in the blanks for yourself.
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R.S. McNamara's eleven life lessons
Empathize with your enemy
Rationality will not save us
There's something beyond one's self
Maximize efficiency
Proportionality should be a guideline in war
Get the data
Belief and seeing are often both wrong
Be prepared to reexamine your reasoning
In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil
Never say never
You can't change human nature
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Here is the song of the day for you:
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It is a fitting song I think, for Mr. McNamara and his role in the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962
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Kenny Ball - Midnight In Moscow
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1962
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Relaxing at the end of the day in White Rock.
Scene is the McDonalds on King George Highway
32 Avenue Diversion. Video taken on my Blackberry pager.
