The Opportunist

We remember from childhood those who were forever changing the rules in the middle of the game, to their own advantage. And if they couldn’t, they wouldn’t play. And there were those who would profess fast friendship until a more useful acquaintance came along—those who made professions of loyalty but who changed their loyalties as opportunity favored them. And as we grew older, we found that this spirit of opportunism was not confined to childhood, as we may have once supposed. In our dealings with men, we become aware that there are some who conduct themselves according to the pre-announced principles, no matter what it costs them, while others permit their principles change according to their convenience and opportunities. Of an opportunist, many definitions could have been given, but perhaps we could summarize them all by saying that it is one who permits himself to do whatever he thinks is to his personal advantage, regardless of what it means to others. His only loyalty is to himself. He is one who forgets what he said or promised yesterday if it isn’t convenient to remember today. He is one who sheds old friends like a coat, when new ones seem more useful to him. He is one who hopes to carry water on both shoulders, to be found acceptable in all company, ever prepared to cast his lot where there is the most in it for him. He follows the wind as it blows, where it blows. When you find such a man, even one moderately so inclined, proceed at your own peril—because even when you know what he professes, you cannot depend upon his course of action, except you can be sure it will be consistently to his own advantage as he sees it. On the other hand, if you find a man whose principles you know, and you know will stay with his principles, you would do well to mark him and build upon him, because even if he does not believe all things as you do, he may be counted upon to conduct himself honorably according to a predictable pattern. Long observance of the prevalence and perfidy of opportunism would suggest the wisdom of appraising men according to what they are, as indicated by their performance, and not according to the badges and the buttons they wear, or the names they carry, or the banners they wave, or the promises they make, or the things to which they give lip service. If they adhere to pre-announced principles, they are to that extent predictable and dependable. But if their conduct and their principles and their loyalties are changeable according to their opportunities, beware of them. They are the opportunists—and in them there is no safety.