COMMENTARY 796.3: Baloney Sandwiches

by Michael Josephson on October 9, 2012

in Attitude

When Jason, a construction worker, took a sandwich out of his lunch bag, he looked at it and threw it on the ground yelling, “Baloney again! I hate baloney.”

A co-worker said, “If you hate baloney so much, just ask your wife to make you something else.”

Jason replied, “That’s the problem. My wife didn’t make the sandwich. I did.”

Lots of people continually make their own baloney sandwiches and then act as victims when it’s time to eat them. It’s like the man who killed his parents and had the audacity to demand mercy because he was an orphan.

The baloney sandwich is a metaphor for things we do to ourselves that make our lives tougher. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

For some, the problem is personal relationships. Thus, intelligent people driven by loneliness, sexual attraction, irrational romanticism, or a rescue mentality disregard their good sense and core values by repetitively getting involved with people who are bad for them.

Others have baloney sandwich jobs. They ignore their instincts and experience, thinking they can put up with unkind or dishonorable bosses or unfulfilling or a demeaning jobs. Sooner or later, unhealthy relationships and unrewarding jobs will become intolerable.

Thomas Huxley said, “Logical consequences are the scarecrows of fools and the beacons of wise men.” In other words, every mistake can make us more afraid or wiser.

If you don’t like baloney sandwiches, take control of your life — identify the values that are really important to you and don’t compromise them.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

avatar Radhakrishnan October 12, 2012 at 5:56 am

Simply superb, Mr Josephson!

I really don’t get the words to describe your sense of self-expression. No doubt you are world leader!

Your humble servant,

Radhakrishnan

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avatar J Getze October 14, 2012 at 3:45 am

Most people will attribute this quote to Albert Einstein but there is no evidence to suggest that he made this statement.

This quote “Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results” appears in the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous which was copyrighted in 1982 and later published in 1983. It is found on page 11 of the final “Review Form” which was distributed to the fellowship in November of 1981. It is found on page 23 of the current sixth edition.

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avatar Michael Josephson October 14, 2012 at 9:02 am

Thanks, great information!

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