Law Abiding Citizen is becoming one of my favorite movies, as someone with interest in sociology, I try to comprehend how communities form and societies function.

One of the deepest conversations in the movie is when Sarah discusses with her boss how she sees her career path at the age of 35, sharing that she wishes she hasn’t sacrificed all the things that she could be and do as a result of her commitment to the profession, just to get high convection rate on a performance report while climbing the career ladder!

Conversation starting Minute 7:10 in this video.

- Hey, Nick, can I ask you something?
- Hmm?

Would you do it
the same way now?

Would you still cut
a deal for Darby?

This is the job, Sarah.
We have to make choices.

- But did you make the right choice?
- We made the right choice, right?

I don't know.

I'm 35, Nick.

And there are things-
there are possibilities

that I'm not gonna have now.

And it's okay.
I know it's part of the deal.

And don't get me wrong.
I love working for you.

But I just want to make sure
I gave up those things

for more than just
a high conviction rate.

The experience of my father winning a 10 years long legal battle had been heart-wrenching, that put me in the mood for much exploration, lots of people hide under the mantra of professionalism and performance to do things against the essence of what they are meant to do.

Before careers and professionalism, there are humans, values and principles. Unfortunately, the human society has for the most part failed to celebrate the few good men and women who stick with the essence and build and sustain beauty other than celebrate a plastic sense of professionalism!

To hell with what you’d consider “professionalism” if it makes me lose my essence.

If this is professionalism, then I prefer to be labelled an amateur who cares about the essence of what he do!