The Power of the Personal

It's small but significant

Othello's Lamentation by William Salter, 1857 (Wikimedia Commons - public domain)

“A great man shows his greatness by how he treats little men.” — Thomas Carlyle

If you’re ever looking to assess the character of someone you’ve just met, whether it’s on a job interview, a date, or some other public scenario, the most surefire way is to observe how they treat service staff.

Are they polite or rude? Deferential or condescending? Patient or curt?

Those little unguarded moments can reveal the true nature of personalities and in some cases, tarnish a reputation that has been carefully constructed (in the case of inauthenticity).

“Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
‘Twas mine; ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.” — William Shakespeare, 1603

Iago’s speech in Othello is about reputation, and how it’s more valuable than money (which is ironic, given Iago’s own manip…