I dug this up because I was going to post it on another thread but then decided against, so I thought I'd stick it on a new thread before I close the tab down because it's too good to waste:
Originally Posted by
anvilhead 
potential is a big fat cop out, IMHO. cuz what are we really saying...
ok so he's really a piece of garbage right now, but DANG gimme a couple of weeks and i bet he cleans up real good and then he'll be somewhat suitable. who are WE to determine anyone's else POTENTIAL? what is THAT anyways? do we really have some special all knowing powers that we see another's future, their destiny?
every body on the planet has POTENTIAL....we are not static beings, if nothing else we will at the very least grow older. it's rather conceited for us to nominate ourselves as their MUSE, their inspiration. for again that is us taking owner ship of another person's growth. we let ourselves believe they will change BECAUSE of us....and then we get to feel like heroes, demi-gods recreating people in our own likeness.
what a horrible demeaning thing to say to someone, it's like handing them a note that reads:
i really can't stand you much as your are, except on those few rare nice days. but you usually manage to end up ruining those too. however, because i am such a saint, i am willing to WAIT for you completely change everything about you that i find distasteful, and by the way here's the list of positive qualities that i've determined you MUST have inside you somewhere, for i swear i saw them once. now if you would please get busy, i'm only willing to wait half my life on you and i don't want to get so old i don't have enough speed to track down another subject.
-Love, Dr. Frankenstein.