[ChrisMarshallNY]

I believe that another quote attributed to Honest Abe, is ”The best way to destroy an enemy, is to make him your friend.”

In my own life, I regularly interact (and connect) with folks that are notoriously difficult to deal with.

This had significant advantages in my career. The folks in the office —regardless of their proclivities— were amateurs, compared to some of the people I hung with, in my free time.

[absoluteunit1]

> This had significant advantages in my career. The folks in the office —regardless of their proclivities— were amateurs, compared to some of the people I hung with, in my free time.

Could expand on this? What advantages in your career? Also, what do you mean by:

> were amateurs, compared to some of the people I hung with, in my free time.

Do you intentionally look to meet people with whom you disagree?

[ChrisMarshallNY]

> Do you intentionally look to meet people with whom you disagree?

Sort of. I like to develop good relationships with people that have a hard time getting along with others. I consider it to be a bit of a "challenge," and I like to live a life, where I'm constantly challenging myself. Also, I participate in an organization that is focused on helping people recover from significant life trauma. It's sort of my job.

Part of it, is because I'm "on the spectrum," myself, and come from a childhood fraught with atomic wedgies. I have some empathy for outsiders. I don't come from a "superior position," I have very much been an outlier, for most of my life. I know what it feels like.

It's been my experience that people that are difficult to deal with, come from some kind of personal trauma. I have found that they are often quite open to getting along with folks that are willing to accept the idiosyncrasies that arise from their coping mechanisms.

So if I can accept, and even be close friends with, someone that has spent significant time in Ossining, for violent offenses, having an employee throw a minor tantrum because I said "no," is a cakewalk.