Jens Oliver Meiert

On Loyalty

Published on JanĀ 27, 2018, filed under (feed). (Share this on Mastodon orĀ Bluesky?)

Loyalty is about love; and when weā€™re not in love:

Loyalty is about will; and when weā€™re not willing:

Loyalty is about values.

Loyalty only requires either one of love, will, or values; and as such it has not one but two fail-safes; and that makes disloyalty such a grave and hurtful offense.

Someone who isnā€™t loyal is acting without love; without will; and without values towards the ones they betray.

And yet, while we can argue that weā€™re not always in love and that weā€™re not always willing, we should always be protective of our greatest possession, our values, like respect, compassion, or honor.

The disloyal have no excuse; they had not one but three options to be loyal, and it disgraces them that in the end, they could neither keep an eye on their values nor on the space between their legs.

Itā€˜s easy to be loyal, and inexcusable to be disloyal; if not for love again, such offense could never be forgiven.

Far out on the restless sea, Helene, a kingā€™s daughter, sails into exile with Dionseus.
Loyalty. (Copyright King Features Syndicate, Inc., distr.Ā Bulls.)

About Me

Jens Oliver Meiert, on November 9, 2024.

Iā€™m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and Iā€™m a web developer, manager, and author. Iā€™ve been working as a technical lead and engineering manager for companies youā€™ve never heard of and companies you use every day, Iā€™m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for Oā€™Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)