I wish that someone would pick a quality that I possess and tout it as the true path to success. Why should it not only be a character attribute that I do not possess but also be one that is the exact opposite of the way I am? ALWAYS? I mean, really, if there was someone assembling humans up there, there should be some quality checks to reject faulty pieces, no?
Now this patience thing. I mean, yes, there are people who say, "Everything comes to he who waits" and others who say, "Yes, all the things that nobody else wants." So, there ARE a few people who do not believe that being impatient is a no-no. But it looks like Tiru is not one of them.
Migudhiyaan mikkavai seydhaarai thaantham thagudhiyaan vendru vidal - Tirukkural
When someone arrogantly harms you, beat him with your patient handling - Loose Translation
Now THAT is guaranteed to raise the hackles of any teen you give that advice to, I am sure. Alongside that other thing about turning the other cheek. I mean, if someone treats you like dirt and you take it dumbly, your name will be mud in no time, right?
Actually, though, it is a lot more than just dumbly taking things lying down. I mean, really, Tiru is considered a sage, alright, but it's not like he is advocating you to become one. This is the chap that also writes a whole series of kurals on sex, so I'm sure he cannot be blamed as being too la-di-da for the real world.
What he means here is to possess even-tempered composure in the place of getting flustered and screaming with anger. The point he makes is to keep your cool and use your abilities to get the better of the other guy instead of trying to win a screaming match with him. Makes sense that way?
Anger, the getting hot under the collar kind, invariably gets in the way of applying your mind to the issue at hand. Instead of trying to find a way to victory in the situation, you are merely trying to cap insult with insult, which really gets you nowhere. AND, if you are really the sort who can get things done, you very seldom are also the chap who can win shouting matches, so you are fighting the other guy on his home ground.
So, yeah, instead of treating Patience as some sort of loser mindset, see it as a way to maintain your composure and win in a lasting manner. I'm yet to see anyone who can conclusively prove victory in a shouting match.
AND, yes, shouting matches do not get you any Olympic medals, do they?
