Interesting that you've made this point in two different posts without really explaining what you mean. However, the distinction between "right" and "good" is a good (and probably right too ) one to make.

Yes, I probably didn't do a very good job, that. I think there are different variations on this theme (dare I say "paradigm"?) along the lines of "In the search for the perfect, the good was lost" and "so busy doing right, he forgot to do good".

An organizational example of the former: New manager takes over group of 5 talented programmers working on a project, but is concerned that they are only operating at 90% efficiency (they spend a lot of time on a particular BBS and sometimes take long lunches). He is determined to raise productivity to 98% and so blocks somebbs.comms.net on the firewall and installs a time clock. Morale plummets, 4 of 5 staff quit, project fails.

I think the latter "right versus good" is most often applied to situations where, as you suggest, "wooden" sometimes bureacratic, rules trump what most folks would consider good judgement.

Not that I agree with you in this particular situation (though I have been convinced that our attitude toward other countries has been detrimental to our cause), but often it is much more difficult to discern the "good" in something than to follow the wooden "right". We need to be aware of this tendency and always check for the "good" in what we do. This may sound kind of relativistic philosophically, however I don't believe that it is. I think that many times we become so obsessed with the rules we've made, we forget what the purpose was in the first place.

I may be oversimplifying by applying this "good-right" label or maybe just misapplying it. Also, while the "good" part of the equation really conveys a balancing of morality judgements, I think that the current situation can also be approached on just practical grounds as well.


What the *hell* do I mean? I think that in a resounding, selective fixation on *one* UN resolution, albeit one that does resonate with some portion of the US electorate, I think we failed to bring other important allies along (touting of recent support from 35+ latecomers notwithstanding). In our zeal we even went so far to exaggerate some pieces of evidence and invent others. This last will not improve confidence in our government's future pronouncements.

So, I think the "good versus right" issue is that we are being shortsighted.

Let's fast-forward to late 2004 with a scenario that I do not know will be correct but which I think is in the realm of probability:

- The immediate war on Saddam is long over and Saddam is dead.
- The Iraquis fired a few scuds but that's about it.
- Significant WMD capability was *not* found in Iraq or the credibility of evidence of WMD is in dispute among our historical allies
- Rioting and assasination attempts in places like Egypt and Pakistan in the wake of the March 2003 invasion led to some pretty immediate repression of the rioters, but now those govenments are hunkered down trying not to lose power, trying not to stir up their radicals any more...on the defensive.

OK, now the U.S. wants help finding/stopping a suspected terrorist plot, or in putting OBL in his grave, or it wants to find a diplomatic way (maybe even involving the UN!) to deal with/contain North Korea....

I guess my point is that I think that there could be many situations in the near future where it would really help for us to have more true/willing allies, to be perceived as a multilateral-oriented nation, and to have inspired less resentment.

As that resigned diplomat said, has it really come to "just so long as they fear us"?

Though I respect the band Rush immensely, as you all probably already know, I cannot agree with them philosophically in most areas, though I appreciate the effort. "The Color of Right" off of Test For Echo, however, is an exception to the rule and is bang-on target.

Given the radical nature of this BBS on some issues, I am afraid that I may expose myself to serious ridicule and harassment when I admit that I do not have any Rush tunes! I keep saying I'm going to fix this....