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What Is Life Worth?: The Unprecedented Effort to Compensate the Victims of 9/11

Book by Kenneth R. Feinberg · 1 quotes · Character, Special Master

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What Is Life Worth?: The Unprecedented Effort to Compensate the Victims of 9/11 Quotes

“I have been selected to design and administer these unique initiatives because of my prior experience and effectiveness. Past success breeds repeat performances. … What is important are the personality and character traits needed to stand up to criticism and stress, and to labor effectively in a very emotional vineyard—empathy and sensitivity to the plight of those singled out for special consideration; confidence and firmness towards critics. I turn the other cheek when face-to-face with distraught victims or a businessman challenging my pay decisions. Life's unfairness is usually the real source of their anger. The nature of the compensation received is secondary. But a strategic retreat is not an option when critics attack. Self-confidence and firmness become virtues. You cannot allow yourself to be bullied when you are trying to administer a complex policy experiment. The public is usually supportive, appreciative of the difficulty of the task.”

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Book:What Is Life Worth?: The Unprecedented Effort to Compensate the Victims of 9/11
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