What the upside of integrity? “The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone.”

James Damore, the now-fired Google engineer, fought Ci with Di. He lost the battle – but he won his own soul, while all the cowards around him lost a little more of theirs.

Photo by: Rendy Cipta Muliawan

Remember the kid’s story, “Who bells the cat?”

They re-enacted it yesterday at Google.

The mouse lost.

Ci versus Ci, of course, so the higher-status compliance display won. As we’ve discussed, you can’t fight Ci with Ci.

The best part of “Who bells the cat?” – and of Henrik Ibsen’s “An enemy of the people,” which is quoted in the headline – is the saga of the brave and solitary hero of the all-but-hopeless rebellion.

That would be the Nazarene – or Luke Skywalker – or a zillion other brave and solitary heroes.

The worst part of those kinds of stories? The cowardice of the mob.

James Damore, the now-fired Google engineer, had plenty of supporters within the company. Mostly men, some women. Just no one with any balls. As usual.

A choice is Driven when you are prepared to walk away from everyone else to pursue it.

It is Incandescent when you are prepared to be seen as no one else is willing to be seen.

How can you tell when it’s both?

Look for a striking display with lots of room around it. You may not be stronger just for having stood-most-alone, but you will be plenty lonelier. Cowardice loves company, and it loves that huddled, supportive companionship far, far away from courage.

How much is this like the sacrifice of the Nazarene? And if it is, which community is to have been healed by this holy atrocity? Keep in mind that the original telling of “Who bells the cat?” is about reconciliation with subservience – Winston Smith learning to love Big Pussy.

This is a holiness spiral, so the details don’t matter. What is being defended is not some body of ideas but the social status of the idea-embodiers: “You dare to question my authoritah?!?” Ci civilization is a Cautious tyranny because escape is blocked under Cautious control. Accordingly, acquiescence to Ci tyranny is expressed in Incandescent displays.

Translation: Whatever your authentic DISC type, you submit to a Ci compliance display with an Ic display of compliance: The fakery must be fake-mirrored precisely, so the cannibals can devour each other in just the right light.

Yeesh!

I’m sorry for Mr. Damore. I hope he is much stronger for having stood most alone. I’m sorrier for his stolidly silent dysmasculated “supporters” – but not as sorry as they are.

Ci’s will swear I can’t possibly teach them anything, so this might be wasted, but I’ll offer it up anyway:

James Damore fought Ci with Di. He lost the battle – but he won his own soul, while all the cowards around him lost a little more of theirs.

If you count wealth in my currencies, it’s not at all hard to see who came out ahead.

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