Provocative Thoughts

From the book I'm reading (listed on the left...and yes, I know that my reading list has slowed a bit, but the spring break ski trip preparation/execution has slowed my normal reading pace, but I'm back up to snuff) on comparing philosophy and baseball, I came across an essay discussing "team chemistry" by comparing the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates (known for "We Are Family" and dancing on dugouts to that disco song with their wives after victories) against the explosive late 70's New York Yankees with Steinbrenner, Reggie, and Billy Martin.

So, is unity important or does chaos invite creativity and innovation? The question applies to business or sports or anything else...

I'll leave the conclusions to you, but here's some quotes from the essay that got my brain working:

"If the world were a perfect place, it wouldn't be."--Yogi Berra, Yankees catcher.

"American society appears animated because men and things are constantly changing, but it is monotonous because all of these changes are alike."--Alexis de Tocqueville.

"Less attention, I suppose, is paid to philosophy in the United States thanin any other country in the civilized world."--Alexis de Tocqueville.

"This may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word 'tension.' Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind so that individuals could rise from the bondage of myths and half-truths to the unfettered realm of creative analysis and objective appraisal, we must see the need of having nonviolent gadflies."--Martin Luther King, in his "Letter from Birmingham City Jail."

I love a good read early in the morning.