Chapter 264
Salon Games While Moscow Burns
In Petersburg at that time a complicated struggle was being carried on with greater heat than ever in the highest circles, between the parties of Rumyántsev, the French, Márya Fëdorovna, the Tsarévich, and others, drowned as usual by the buzzing of the court drones. But the calm, luxurious life of Petersburg, concerned only about phantoms and reflections of real life, went on in its old way and made it hard, except by a great effort, to realize the danger and the difficult position of the Russian people. There were the same receptions and balls, the same French theater, the same…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Consequence Distance
Think of a decision you're involved in making - at work, in your family, or community. Draw two circles: one for the decision-makers and one for the people most affected by the outcome. Where do you sit? How close are the decision-makers to the real consequences? What would change if everyone had to live with the results?
Consider:
- •Notice if decision-makers and consequence-bearers are the same people
- •Consider how distance might be affecting the quality of decisions
- •Think about ways to bring decision-makers closer to real outcomes
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone made a decision about your life from a distance. How did their lack of proximity to consequences affect their choice? How might you avoid making the same mistake with others?
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