I guess we all have principles. I've not met anyone who doesn't claim to have principles and who doesn't claim that their principles are non-negotiable.
What are your principles?
And, more importantly, what are your non-negotiable principles?
I think I have principles but sometimes I'm not so sure. After reading Niccolò Machiavelli's book, The Prince, an absolutely brilliant book even if just to read as Italian history, I've always questioned the need for principles. Machiavelli was a Renaissance Italian (before Italy was born as a country) who made his living from giving amoral advice to rulers.
Machiavelli's advice was very unprincipled and even mercenary as he would advise anyone who paid him. For example, he advised rulers not to show mercy on their enemies because, if not killed, they would just re-group and attack again.
My principles, if I had to list them and sometimes it's not a good idea writing them down for others to see, include tolerance but I'm intolerant of intolerance. I'm all for honesty though I often stop short of expressing my honest feelings if they are likely to hurt someone. And I'm definitely into reason though I despair reasoning with unreasonable people. I suspect all my principles are negotiable depending on the circumstances.
Politically I often describe myself as a liberal red-green to capture my principles. But there has been a recent example where I betrayed or at least compromised my principles.
As some of you may know, especially those reading my blog posts about my stepson and the state of my marriage, I own a plot of land. Without planning permission to build homes, it's worth about one-tenth of selling with planning permission with homes being built. That's basically the difference between £100,000 and up to a £1,000,000 (depending how many homes are built).
I was advised, because the plot of grassland is overgrown, to get the grass mown or at least grazed. The advice was given to me because when the land is put up for planning, permission to build more homes is more likely to be granted if there's less wildlife flourishing on the land. The local authority, the planning authority, as part of its process of deciding whether planning permission is granted or not, will send an ecologist to gauge the amount of wildlife on my land. If there's lots of wildlife, I'll be required to set aside some of that land for wildlife (therefore less homes built). If there's little wildlife, more houses can be built on the land. What did I decide? Mow the grass. So much for my principles!
What would you have done in my situation?
I just followed Machiavelli's advice to look after my wallet and ditch my green principles. I wonder whether that makes me a hypocrite! I prefer to see myself as a pragmatic realist.
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What would I have done? I would've already sold the land. I'd rather have a little extra now rather than risk dying before I could enjoy anything, plus if I did die, the spouse (and ultimately the step-son) would be the ones with the profit.
What do I wish I could do? Leave it to a land trust or to the community for a nature preserve or a park so nobody could build on it.
The problem why I haven't already sold the land was that the family solicitor advised me (wrongly) to enter into a ten-year deal with a property developer. They did very little, but I had to wait ten years for the agreement to lapse before I regained control of the sale of the land.
Even when it was clear, a year or two before the end of the agreement, that nothing was going to happen - it takes at least one year or two if there's an appeal for a planning application to go through - the property developer refused my request that the agreement should be terminated.
Once it expired, the property developer wanted a new agreement, which told me that the land was worth something. I told them that, unless they were prepared to pay me £1m, I'm not interested. I've now found out that the property developer has a terrible reputation but had a close relationship with my solicitor to the point that they paid for my legal fees. Looking back, I can see I was fleeced. How can I trust my solicitor's advice when she's being paid by the property developer? There's a conflict of interest.
I'm still looking at the option of taking action against my solicitor.
@spunkycumfun There's always more to a story. Time for a new solicitor and perhaps a tidbit for the local newspaper regarding the relationship between the developer and the solicitor.
@superbjversion2 I agree it's time for a new solicitor. Local newspapers generally don't run stories against business here for fear of loss of advertising or for fear of a libel action. My best bet is the solicitor's professional regulation body. There is court action but that would cost me an arm and a leg, and proving a tort, a civil wrong, isn't easy here or probably anywhere.
Welcome to the Pragmatic Realist Club, the rules will be sent to you , when we get around to making rules
I like the sound of that club especially as it has no rules!
@spunkycumfun You may enjoy this , bit long , pertinent in this day when western liberal values are coming up against a new reality.
@taurean62dbn An interesting clip. I'm not sure I quite buy into the Asianism concept so long as China and India are bitter rivals. I know she argued that the idea doesn't require political and economic unity. However, I totally buy into the idea that there are many effective development roads other than the Western one. I liked her line that the Washington Consensus doesn't even have consensus in Washington DC.
@spunkycumfun This maybe could explain the lack of Washington consensus or dysfunstion .
@taurean62dbn Thanks again. That's quite a critique of America.
@spunkycumfun US greatest strength has always been Hollywood , changing reality.
@taurean62dbn And the Hollywood sign nearly got burnt down!
@spunkycumfun This whole tariff policy was not making sense, and being a realist i do not ascribe to the theory there was no plan or the current mainstream mad man theory , came across these two podcasts that may shed some light .
@taurean62dbn Thanks for the clips. Though his tariffs were planned in the sense that Trump promised them in his election campaign, I cannot believe they were planned in any careful detail.
First, his tariffs weren't reciprocal tariffs. Second, he imposed tariffs on almost every country in the world. Third, he backtracked and flip-flopped as soon as he realised tariffs spooked the markets, especially the bond markets. And fourth, he's under-estimated the power of China in opposing his tariffs. These were all entirely predictable consequences well before he launched his tariff plan.
@spunkycumfun But the problem is the 6 trillion coming up for renewal , in July . Prior to Chinese retaliation (giving cover for all other major economic players ) the interest rate was coming down, but after that started going up and first time in history , in a crisis all money flee to US , instead all started fleeing US . If they do not stop the slide of interest rate by July US heading for depression . I think this must be first time EU must be happy about Brexit , not having UK as spoiler in Trade talks with others, since UK is so wedded to US .
@taurean62dbn Brexit is double-edged. On paper, Britain has freedom to strike its own trade deals. But in reality, it can't stray too far from EU rules as over half its exports go to the EU. Also, there's the argument that Britain within the EU can strike a better deal than Britain outside the EU.
The mood here generally, apart from the unrepentant Brexiteers (and they are dwindling in number), is that Brexit was an own goal making both Britain and the EU weaker. Wags have even quipped that the British voted for sanctions on themselves!
I think almost everyone's principles are fluid when money gets involved.
Bloody money!
Get some goats for that grass. As far as principles, I think respect covers alot of ground. It comes in many forms, where it's respecting someone's choices of lifestyle, religion, etc. I attend different youth sports and officials have a hard job with abuse from coaches and a few parents. I will always respect an official. This also sets an example for the young players watching these interactions.
The problem with getting some goats is that I live over 100 miles from the field so I'm not in a position to look after them. But goats, as well as sheep, are great for keeping grass down.
I always respected sports officials even if I thought they made the wrong decision. Generally they were in a much better position than me to make a decision and I was always biased!
If the land is suited for residential purposes, then it makes sense to mow the grass. Our mutual friend would probably have converted the land into one big garden 😂
Probably one big cucumber patch!
I think you have a decent idea of what you will do with your land and I hope that you'll make the money you are hoping from it, or more. Till then, if the land is properly fenced, you could consider renting it to farmers. They do rent land for their cattle, sheep, or other animals, to graze in the summer. While figuring out the rest, your grass is managed and you earn a few bucks from it. Just need to figure out what sort of poop you want to end up with at the end of the summer.
There's no neighbouring farmer who has livestock as I would have rented the land and even allowed livestock to graze the land for free.
Even regional farmers?
I would have mowed. I will avoid an area if I think the wildlife needs it.
Here in my neck of the woods, we have wildfires. The fireman taught me that tall, dried grass is great fire fuel. Keeping my fields and yard mowed to a shorter length means less fuel and less fire. AKA my house will be safe becasue not enough flames to actually catch the house on fire.
So to me, in my world, mowing is the responsible thing to do.
We do get wildfires here but not to the extent and the scale of those in America.
Forget the principles argument, how about getting a deployable spine. One that you can use when you need it and then put it away,,,to blend in. Remember you asked.
I'm not understanding your comment. Please can you explain.
Hm, that's a tough one, but I suspect if I could make 900,000 pounds more by mowing that's what I would have done. Maybe then turn around and invest it in "green" investments?
I'm going to delay the green investments choice until, if and when, the sale happens! I'm all into car parking hard choices in that they need to be made when they need to be made rather than in advance.
You are a realist.
We have principles…and they are meant to guide us, not imprison us. They are our touchstones, and give us parameters by which we gauge our truth.
Since we do not exist in a vacuum and must live in a real world where the rules change and the people we come in contact with are inevitably as flawed as we are, all one can really do is to be as true to what you believe as possible, while not putting yourself at risk or untenable disadvantage.
Principles ride the wave of reality. All you really must do is to be able to say to yourself, honestly, that you have tried to be a decent person.
I suspect that you are. Live in that truth, let your principles walk with you on your journey, and don’t forget to have fun.
Thank you. I find that any principle taken to an extreme isn't a good principle. In most situations, there's competing principles and it's a question of judgement in managing those dilemmas. Sometimes it's a good call, and sometimes not.
I don't feel as if you compromised anything there. Land can be built on sympathetically, I've worked with many a housebuilder who did so, and many who haven't. It can be a great marketing advantage too!!
I'm expecting that a certain bit of the land, especially that close to a pond, will remain green. I struck a deal with an estate agent who will pay the costs of getting planning permission (up to £80,000 a planning consultant has advised) and sell the land on a no sale, no fee basis.
The sale proceeds will be shared between us with the estate agents getting up to £150,000. The estate agents are bearing all the costs (bar for me paying for the grass to be mown and a private property sign to be erected) and bearing all the risks. I still control the sale, as the land is still in my name until the point of sale, and I decide who the buyer of the land is, so the estate agents can't sell it on the cheap to themselves or an investor friendly to them. I've learnt that sharks are abundant in the property development market.
Obviously it's all down to planning permission. But Shropshire Council, like many councils, are under severe pressure from the Labour Government to increase land for development. Shropshire Council's plan was recently rejected by the Planning Inspectorate and was told to double its designated homes to be built. This is my window of opportunity.
@spunkycumfun sounds ideal, I hope it works out!!
@lindoboy100 Obviously I hope so too. My only concern is that I'm tied to another ten-year plan. I was advised way back that property developers target those of a certain age who may die before the ten years are up and pick up land on the cheap. This time I feel that my interests and the estate agents' interests are closely aligned. We both want planning permission and we both want an early sale to make money. I'm sounding like a capitalist!
@spunkycumfun
There is absolutely nothing wrong with making money responsibly. In fact, it's completely admirable!
I would mow your land my friend as you want to keep looking great as you never know what will become of it.
As for the Principals well I think honesty and trust is too of the most important principals that I live by.
I hope you enjoy a relaxing weekend..
Trust is a good principle though often abused.
I would have it mowed, under reasonable expectations.
There's too money at stake not to mow the long grass on the field.
Now, seriously: I love nature, but there is more than enough space elsewhere for wildlife. My land is not a national park or a reserve. If there are animals raising their young there, I would wait until that period is over: meaning early summer, to ensure I don't harm the offspring.
I had the grass cut at the very start of spring and I'll get it cut again at the end of summer. I'm quite confident there are no birds and mammals living on my field, just plants and insects.
Many people have the same concept of principles as Marx... I mean 'Groucho' Marx
Do you remember his famous quote?
Groucho Marx penned a few great quotes. Which one did you have in mind?
@spunkyfuncum Is it " i refuse to join a club , that would have me as a member "
@spunkycumfun
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others."
@taurean62dbn That's a good one.
@AuraAviatik6 I like that quote.