The Advantages of Being Early

"¹Tardiness is no laughing matter; it inhibits productive activity during the course of the commencing moments of a conclave held of any company or society with a goal of actually advancing or accomplishing something. ²This, in turn, creates an atmosphere of passivity in said conclave which induces conducivity to similar inactivity throughout the duration of the meeting as a whole, thus reducing the overall productivity of said meeting and occasionally rendering it entirely superfluous. ³Such behavior is simply inexcusable."
-Xandersom 1:1-3Your first question upon reading that passage was probably "What on Atlas is the idiot talking about?" Perhaps I should elucidate: Xandersom is simply saying that when one person is late, everyone accomplishes less. The suplerfluous addition of complex words and hyperbole from which Xandersom suffers is known on Atlas as Xandersom's anger. I suffer from it also. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but it often necessitates elucidation. However, Xandersom is not in error when he states this; when people are late, everyone might as well be. He is also using his apparent puctuality as a metaphor for a single person just generally not contributing. Nobody's presence is requested at a meeting for no reason. If your presence is "requested," then it is required, and for a reason. As the King of Mageland, I call together my 15 advisors on a regular basis and if only 14 are present, I cannot come to a conclusion, necessitating another, previously inrequisite, meeting. Imagine that you are the war advisor. I need to decide whether to send troops to help put down a rebellion in the Súderland. You decide not to show up. Now I must call another meeting. At this meeting we decide to send troops in to help but the rebellion has already killed the Súdernese king and his successor hates me for not helping his father put down the rebellion and declares war. Now you and I have both reached a rather unfortunate dilemma: I with the King of the Súderland and you with me. This further reduces our productivity because I cannot have peaceable negotiations with the King of the Súderland, and you are worried that I will remove you from my Council of Advisors. We both now have more work to do because I command the Thermopolian Army and you are my war advisor! This keeps spiraling on and on and on, just because you decided not to show up when I called my advisors. Xandersom is completely justified with his rant because he understands how much of a problem tardiness and general unproductivity can be. Being extremely punctual, he uses punctuality as a metaphor for the entire idea. Punctuality is equally important for the same reason. Of course, the bigger the problem starts out, the bigger it ends up. Just remember, the next time you want to be late, be early.
‒Emänyo