While I was on 4 days of vacation I ran across a WSJ article that got me thinking. The WSJ article was down this path.

The 'New' Old Age Is No Way to Live

The ancients had it right: Reflection and friendship are the bounties of old age

...

We are advised that an extended life span has given us an unprecedented opportunity. And if we surrender to old age, we are fools or, worse, cowards. Around me I see many of my contemporaries remaining in their prime-of-life vocations, often working harder than ever before, even if they have already achieved a great deal. Some are writing the novels stewing in their heads but never attempted, or enrolling in classes in conversational French, or taking up jogging, or even signing up for cosmetic surgery and youth-enhancing hormone treatments.

What happens when you don't consider this advice and you are focused on your accomplishments? You treat your friends as tools in the games you play.

Epicurus also wrote: "Of all the things that wisdom provides to help one live one's entire life in happiness, the greatest by far is the possession of friendship." Even back in the Athens of the third century B.C., he could see how a professional life of any kind could corrupt genuine friendship. A life engaged in business inevitably leads to treating other people as means to an end, rather than as ends in themselves.

Do you live your life like this?

Tasso feels no need to manipulate, exploit or in any way maneuver his companions to do anything. No, Tasso simply wants his friends to be with him.

One of the things I enjoy about the data center industry is finding the people who think like the above where reflection and friendship are valuable. Why? Because, when you want to figure out some really tough things you need insight and friends who will tell you the truth.

There are plenty of people who will tell you what you want to hear and lying is just part of playing the game.