Dell Deaton

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Tag: James Bond

Are compartmentalization and image management still possible?

Ian Fleming is said to have been most disciplined in showing different aspects of himself to different groups.

You saw only what he, with conscious direction and discipline, wanted you to see. As a result, two strangers could meet, each thinking he “knew” Mr. Fleming — but neither in the end would continue to believe this after they’d compared notes in conversation.

To lesser or greater extents, we all do this, of course. Relaxed at home is different from workplace. Project meetings are different from end-of-the-day unwinds with those very same colleagues on the road at a trade show.

And it wasn’t that many years ago that it actually took a bit of effort to really flesh out every disparate aspect of a Supreme Court nominee’s background.

“Screen names” used on Internet Forums and Chat Rooms provided somewhat of a challenge in connecting the person expressing views on movie interests on what part of the Internet with that same person’s pitch to would-be romantic persuits on another.

But what are you gonna do with Facebook?

You can spend years developing expertise and respect in advanced rocket science if you’d like. Still, that image will forever onward be seasoned with high school connections from decades past to the choice you made for prom date.

It’s all “who you are.”

Will “Le Chiffre” become a verb?

Spoiler alert: While it’s hard to imagine that the torture scene in Casino Royale is much of a surprise to anyone, that’s what we’re talking about here. So, stop reading here if that sort of discussion might spoil anything for you.

For the rest of us— I wanted to let you know that the words, “Don’t Le Chiffre me” have already crossed my lips since seeing the latest James Bond 007 film feature yesterday. It’s a guy thing, calling someone on what is, I admit, usually a mere verbal jibe.

Nothing physical, let alone below-the-belt. Thank God!

To be “La Chiffred” (pronounced “la-sheef-ed”) connotes the even greater context conveyed through the Casino Royale torture scene. La Chiffre is an opponent who cheats to get the upper hand. He attacks only after his henchmen have secured position on his behalf. Then, with no sense of boundaries, come his low blows, so to speak.

James Bond 007, secure in his masculinity and unyielding to such an unworthy opponent, mocks Le Chiffre.*

This is the the fullest message conveyed when labeling your experience at the hand of an adversary has La Chiffred. For the perpetrator, clearly a moniker of shame.

Application:

It can unmask behavior, call it to account, suggesting the question, “You’ve crossed a line. Do you really want to go there?” Or, more harshly, “You’ve already passed the point of no return: Stop before your friends see you scratching around in a way that’s more humiliating to you than anyone else.”

When you see La Chiffred appear in context elsewhere, remember that you read about it here, first.

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* An oversimplification I reserve the right to address later, elsewhere; necessary here to keep this article on topic.

Quoting “Tomorrow Never Dies,” on countering rationalization

Dr. Kaufman (Vincent Schiavelli):

I’m just a professional doing a job.

James Bond (Pierce Brosnan):

Me, too.

— Roger Spottiswoode; Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli

Quoting “Goldfinger,” on self-discipline

Discipline, Double-O Seven. Discipline.

James Bond (Sean Connery).

— Guy Hamilton; Albert R Broccoli and Harry Saltzman (character originally created by Ian Fleming)