4 ms·
I used to work for a former U.S. Marine who had a good quote - "don't write when you can speak, don't speak when you can nod, and don't nod when you can wink".
by commandlinefan 5y ago
I used to work for a former U.S. Marine who had a good quote - "don't write when you can speak, don't speak when you can nod, and don't nod when you can wink".
- eli 5y agoThat quote is at least a 100 years old, but it's pretty hard to follow in practice. Especially at a digital communications company!
- commandlinefan 5y agoIf you know the original source I'd be curious to hear it.
- eli 5y agoAllegedly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lomasney https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lomasney Eliot Spitzer (!) infamously added the addendum "And never put anything in email"
- vayeate 5y agoModern equivalent: don't text or email when you can call, don't call when you can speak face to face, don't speak face to face if you can wink you see powerful people following this advice all the time, like with Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch’s tarmac meeting. He flew in a plane to talk face to face just to ensure it wouldn't get recorded.
- tootie 5y agoDon't set a meeting when you can email, don't email when you can slack, don't slack when you can do a :thumbsup: emoji one someone else's comment
- happytoexplain 5y agoThis quote in the context of a Marine is a dark reminder, regardless of which side is more legitimate in each instance: Either a Marine can't trust his government, or the government can't trust its Marine.