PARTLY FACETIOUS: Sycophancy is the art of survival by all those who are subservient
“There is one lesson I have learned.”
“Amazing – to have learned one lesson in a lifetime.”
“Hey I know of many who refuse to learn any lessons and spend a lifetime making the same mistakes again and again and again just to prove that they were right all along.”
“Back off. Mian sahib’s selection process may not be…”
“That’s not his fault. My theory is that in our part of the world selections for a position do not determine subsequent behaviour of the appointee.”
“So you reckon the occupation of a position allows for some, how shall I put it, independent thought.”
“George Bernard Shaw, the famous play write, said power does not corrupt men, fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.”
“I will have you know that Mian sahib is no fool and…and knows the spirit of sacrifice – he has sacrificed his own career for his……”
“He had no choice, anyway I wasn’t referring to Mian sahib when I noted that one lesson has clearly been learned.”
“At one time whenever the G-7 met, the world carefully listened and took appropriate and not so appropriate actions to…”
“But no more, there is some serious discontent openly expressed by one-member country, the US, against the others who have refused to send their arsenals to clear the Strait of Hormuz, a challenging task at best and…”
“Really that’s what came to your mind first! China is not a member of the G -7, the main economy in the world today, Russia is not on the list, another major power…”
“India is; though Modi is quiet after his sycophantic speech at the Knesset a day or was it two days before US and Israel launched an attack against Iran?”
“Hmmmm, sycophancy is the art of survival by all those who are subservient.”
“I guess anyway that wasn’t the lesson learned that I was referring to.”
“OK tell me I give up.”
“The lesson learned is never ever underestimate your opponent.”
“But it’s so easy to believe one’s own rhetoric when everyone around is all ears and no mouth so to speak — even before you say something people start clapping.”
“Therein lies your lesson to be learned.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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