Quote by Anon., A Sponsor

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He descended a bit more and shouted to a man on the ground, Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am.The man on the ground below replied, You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude.You must be a sponsor, said the balloonist.I am, replied the man, how did you know?Well, answered the balloonist, everything you told me, I believe, is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've probably delayed my trip.Well, said the man on the ground, you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect other people to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault.

Summary

This quote illustrates the idea of personal responsibility and accountability. It depicts a situation where the man in the hot air balloon is lost and seeks help from someone on the ground, but dismisses their accurate and precise response as unhelpful. The man in the balloon blames the person on the ground for not solving his problem, despite the fact that he himself is the one who doesn't know where he is or where he's supposed to be going. The quote highlights the concept that relying solely on others and blaming them for one's own predicament leads to a perpetuation of the same situation, rather than finding a solution.