What Exactly Does a NO, Look Like?
Image from Gemini AI
What Exactly Does a NO, Look Like?
Hey, Dad, can I borrow your car tonight? No.
Mom, it’s not that late. The party ends at 2 am, can I go? No
Mr. Johnson, it’s been three years since my last raise. Can I get one now? No.
No is a useful word. If everything were a Yes, well, then things could get awkward fast. Like, can I punch you in the face? Well, gee, yes, I guess.
But on the other hand, sometimes a NO is the only right answer. Some things need to be checked.
Hey, can I keep raising the price of bread and butter every day for a year?
See what I mean. A NO fits in nicely here because what is being asked is stupid and will create chaos, and needs to be checked. Otherwise, things get out of control.
But even with a NO, some things will still move forward.
Hey, if you lay off another 5000 people, the townsfolk will really suffer, families will go under, businesses will close, and our once thriving town will begin to disappear.
No, you’re right, all those things will happen, and it’s terrible, really terrible. But we’ll make more money, so yes, we’re doing it anyway.
After a while, the reasons don’t matter anymore; we’ve heard them all before.
· We have to keep up with the competition.
· Our profits have been down.
· The layoffs are good for the town, really.
· What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Lately, we’ve been hearing a lot of YESes.
·· Yes, you don’t have to follow the law.
· Yes, you can fire as many people as you like.
· Yes, you can deport them to South Sudan, wherever that is.
· Yes, there is the separation of duties and responsibilities in our Constitution, but NO you don’t have to follow it. Because we decided, it just gets in the way.
So, when we keep hearing important people and important institutions all saying YES, then what exactly does a NO look and sound like?