"Man dep swa he byp ponne he mot swa he wile."
“Man acts as he is when he may do as he will.”
This proverb is taken from The Durham Proverbs. This eleventh-century
…collection of forty-six Latin and Anglo-Saxon proverbs contained in Durham Cathedral MS B.III.32 is of considerable importance, including as it does a number of maxims otherwise unattested in English sources or evidenced only at a far later date. In a sense the Durham proverbs can be said to bridge the gap between the oldest Anglo-Saxon gnomic verses and the Middle English specimens of the genre…. See, The Durham Proverbs by Olof Arngart.
The Good and the Bad.
The Durham proverb can have two meanings. One would be to view it as William Pitt or Lord Acton might have perceived it. Pitt, who was the Earl of Chatham and the prime minister of England during the 1760s, said, "Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it." Lord Acton years later said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
The perspective held by Pitt and Acton could be applied to the Durham proverb. A person will act in an evil or self-interested fashion if there are no limitations on the person's actions. This is a very negative approach to the proverb. I prefer to view the proverb in a second and different way. You can assume good leaders, friends, associates, and even strangers will act in a positive or kind manner if there are no restraints. This perspective would appear to have no place in today's social media, but I still think it has validity.
During my career, I have met government leaders, chief executive officers, the very wealthy, and movie stars. But, if you were to ask who was the most impressive person I have met, I would have to confess it would be the person who acted in a manner that matches my interpretation of the Durham proverb. He was not famous like many of the people I have met. If you were to ask the person's name, I would have to confess that I do not know his name; I failed to ask him his name. He never introduced himself.
Exemplars of the Durham Proverb.
It is appropriate to tell you how we met. Several years ago, on my way home, I went to Starbucks to get a cup of coffee. It was late. I was driving a car that was about three years old. Getting back in the car, I went through my usual routine to start it; the engine would not turn over. I immediately realized the battery was dead. It was gone. I have never understood how a battery's electrochemical process can die so quickly. I am sure some philosophers or engineers can explain why things just happen.
I waited a couple of minutes and then tried again. I knew nothing would happen, but I had to try. You may have repeated some actions even when you knew the outcome would be the same. The engine tried to turn over, but there was not enough current to make anything happen. I tried one more time. Since my house was more than thirty minutes away, calling a friend late at night did not seem a good idea, but there was no other option.
I dialed a friend. As the phone rang, a car pulled up in front of my vehicle. I hung up before my friend could answer and hoped she did not hear the one ring. Now, if you are like me, and a very old Chevrolet pulls up late at night when you are stranded in a deserted parking lot, you are going to be a little uncomfortable. The paint on the car was worn away in spots. The bumper had several places where the rust had eaten through the bumper; the antenna was slightly bent. A worn-out, faded felt cross hung from the rearview mirror. While the car was still functional, I would have sworn it looked as bad as the vehicle pictured in this blog.
A man who appeared to be in his mid-to-late fifties got out of the car and started walking toward me. He was dressed in worn, frayed khaki pants and a golf shirt that had been washed many times, so many times I was not sure what the original color was.
His smile was pleasant; he tapped on my window. I am not sure why, but his demeanor made me feel comfortable. Instead of cracking the window, which would have been prudent, I lowered it all the way down.
He leaned in and said, "I was driving out of the parking lot and saw you were having car trouble; your lights flickered. I assume it must be your battery. Have cables if you would like me to give you a jump."
Immediately, I thanked the man, popped my hood, and got out to assist him in hooking up the cables. It took two tries, but my engine roared to life. It may not have "roared," but it sounded that way to me.
I thanked him several more times, but his act of kindness surprised me so much that I never thought to ask his name. This man had the freedom to go home without offering me any help, and he had the freedom to show kindness. He elected the latter. As the proverb says, "Man acts as he is when he may do as he will."
Think the Best.
This is a great lesson for leaders. All too often, we think that if people can do what they want, they will act selfishly and will not care about others. This is the wrong approach. I am not naive. I do not think that people always do the right thing, and I will address this issue in my next blog. However, good leaders give people the benefit of the doubt; they give them the freedom to act. Often, they are rewarded by the results. I hope that whenever I have a chance to act as I will, my actions will mirror those of the good Samaritan.
Post Script: Florida heat is brutal on batteries. Recently, I had another battery die; again, I was in a parking lot. A man in his mid-fifties in an old beat-up pickup truck, whose body was totally eaten up by rust, realized what was happening and came over to give me a jump. What is there about people who own beat-up old vehicles?
If you have not read the blog that describes the "However View," click here.
Picture by Claude C. Lilly
