On Thu, 29 Jan 1998, J. Bryan Blundell wrote:

> Lawrence Kestenbaum wrote:
>
> > We *need* developers; a metro area that suddenly lost them
> > would be in deep trouble.  But it is not a trade for someone
> > who wants to be loved and respected by the community, or
> > revered for honesty and fair dealing.
>
> ================
>
> This is an interesting statement. In order to put it in some sort of
> context, I'm curious, what's your line of work?
>
> Bryan

Me?  I teach at two universities.  I'm licensed to practice law, but I
haven't done much of that in a while.  I teach a graduate course in
historic preservation law.  On a volunteer basis, I also chair the Ann
Arbor Historic District Commission.  Formerly, I was on the planning
commission in another city, and was elected to three terms as county
commissioner.  I'm still very much involved in politics.

I think of developers in about the same way I think of criminal defense
lawyers, and I know many people in both categories.  Certainly not every
single one matches the stereotype for their profession, but inevitably
certain roles tend to bring out and reinforce certain traits in people,
and the ones who thrive best are those who are comfortable doing the
things that their job requires.  How many of us preservationists would be
really happy working as a demolition contractor in an old city?

A friend of mine -- an engineer and rationalist, not someone who repeats
urban legends -- also has a music background and played trumpet in a major
symphony orchestra.  He once explained to me that each instrument in the
orchestra was associated with a certain personality type, one that was
consistent with that section's role in the whole ensemble.  He thought
that anyone who didn't match the personality type appropriate to his or
her instrument would get discouraged and eventually drop out or change
instruments.

I'm not a musician, but I asked him what personality type *I* was.
He said: "Larry, no question, you're a violinist."

                             Larry Kestenbaum