The Pierre Principle

Princeton English Professor John V. Fleming offers advice to prospective graduates. Here's a portion of an example not to follow:

"French protestors carried a huge banner: "We Will Never Surrender" (in English, especially for CNN). Bracket the fact that surrender has been France's national outdoor sport for two centuries. What are they refusing to surrender to — apart from common sense, I mean?"

(H.T. Tigerhawk.)