I started reading El arte de la prudencia (Ediciones Temas de Hoy, 1994) by Baltasar Gracián (1601-1658) many moons ago. His 300 aphorisms, witty and elegantly written, offer advice for walking safely through life. They have the tone of the Aristotelian middle ground, without romantic outbursts or voluntarist triumphalism. There is much of the cunning of the serpent, albeit tempered with a certain gentleness of the dove. For times like ours, so full of rushing about and dizzying experiences, Gracián’s reflections are an invitation to pause for a while, so that the lagging soul catches up with the body. A few spoonfuls of lucidity are helpful.
“The only remedy for everything that is extreme is to keep a balance in showing off (…). A limited display is rewarded with greater esteem” (80). Gracián advises against overexposure in public or private spaces. Social networks facilitate communication and also show off… We post something to say something to the community of followers: thoughts, photos, joys, worries… Digital marketing floods the networks with appeals to consumption which, more often than not, is a deceptive siren song. Faced with the cultural reality of showing off, it is worth considering the advice of Gracián, to reduce the overdose of vanity that, at the first slip-up, overcomes us.
“How has a great part in things (…). The most esteemed thing in life is polite behavior. To speak and behave in a good way resolves any difficult situation” (14). Politeness, politeness, and politeness make life pleasant. In an organisation, likewise, courtesy and cordiality in dealing with each other (co-workers, managers, external customers, suppliers, etc.) helps to create a warm organisational climate. So many problems are caused by the stiffness and unfriendly attitudes of the people you talk to. There is no need to scratch and we already know that a smile or a kind word can do more than a thousand formal systems. Good manners are appreciated.
How much we appreciate the authenticity of those whose outward appearance is an expression of their inner life. That is why Gracián said that “the more depth a man has, the more he is a person. Like the inner and deep sparkles of a diamond, a man’s inner self must always be worth twice as much as his outer self” (48). To appear more than one is not a good end. Without substance, the human being becomes a firework: beautiful, but ephemeral. This is also a useful lesson for the institutional reputation of companies, as it is counterproductive to offer excellence in services and end up disappointing customers because of unfulfilled expectations. “Talk is easy and action is difficult. Good deeds are the essence of life and noble words the ornament. The importance of deeds endures, the importance of words does not” (202).
Be consistent and, also, be clear in saying, “not only with ease of speech but with a clear mind. Some people think well, but explain themselves badly: without clarity, the children of the soul (decisions, ideas) do not come to light” (216). Knowing how to explain oneself, reaching the interlocutor, capturing their attention is the art of effective communication. In these times of information overabundance, we run the risk of being a storehouse of data without any orientation. More than ever, we need to be clear-sighted enough to discern the wheat from the chaff. And a clarity of mind to express adequately the reasons of the heart.
A book to read slowly, lingering on its sayings that distil useful reflections for “the three S’s of human happiness: holy, healthy and wise” (300).
