Rampant Capitalism 101
After tkd today (I got my last tip, and Master Chong was really happy with my form yay!) a few of us were hanging out in the parking lot talking. Good times, UNTIL the topic changed to finances.
There was one gentleman in the group, a white belt, who proceeds to lecture the three women present about his big money-making plans selling this IPod-related software that he wrote (never mind that the software is probably illegal from his description), and how he's making several hundred dollars per week selling video games on EBay, and how he's done stuff like buying sunglassses super-cheap from China and reselling them for a nice profit here. He tells us about his savings account with over $100K in it (just plain rude, if you ask me), and how he's going to buy land in Nevada because there's oil and gold there (whatever).
Well, I'm ok with most of this, even encouraging some of the discussion, but I was starting to get really angry with him. At one point I go over to one of the other students, who is a college student, and reassuringly tell her that this guy isn't really trying to dissuade her from going to college. Which, then, he immediately proceeds to do. Excuse me? Since I'm still trying to be nice, I make a little joke about how he shouldn't be trying to indoctrinate her, but he's still going on and on.
I put up with it for a couple more minutes, but sensing that this monologue was never going to end I broke up the little group for the evening.
Sheesh. Let me tell you, I would have been ok listening to this for a few minutes, nodding politely, and everybody goes on their merry way, but he was so damned *insistent* upon foistering his value system off on everyone else present.
HELLO!!! LIFE'S NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN ACCUMULATE BEFORE YOU DIE!!!
As soon as I get the opportunity I'm going to talk to the college girl about it, reassure her that the path she has chosen is legitimate and all that. Honestly, she shouldn't have to put up with someone ramming their philosophy down her throat before she's had the time to build up a proper cynicism and a secure sense of self.
4 Comments:
Is it wrong that as I read this story I was so hoping it would end in violence? Think of the lesson he would have learned if you broke his nose. You could even claim self-defense, he was verbally assulting you after all. I bet he would have dropped in one hit. I mean, going home and blogging about sounds so emo, and not nearly as satisfying. And if he threatened to sue you could threaten to sic Apple on him.
I get kind of ugly in those situations...when I get to the point when I can't stand it anymore I'll usually turn on a little self-rightous "life is not about money"..."money doesn't buy happiness" guilt. If that doesn't work pull out the big guns.."Doesn't the bible say 'the love of money is the root of all evil'?" That usually shuts 'em up even if they're not religious. ;)
Sounds like this guy has issues. I bet as soon as people stop listening to him he'll leave the school. I bet that's why he joined the school in the first place.
Yeah, I thought it wasn't much more than an ego trip myself (in fact, early in the conversation he was bragging how he could do pushups all day!), and you're right, I probably shouldn't have been as polite (i.e. as much of a pushover) as I was. I'll give him the respect that I would give to any fellow student, but that's it.
You know, I make a great effort to get to know my junior belts (because it's pretty easy to get clique-ish at tkd), and I'm willing to give second chances, but this guy just grated on me so badly that I think I just don't want to get involved in conversation with him again. And I feel a responsibilty to my junior belts (and juniors in age) also involved in the conversation to let them know that I did not approve of his methods.
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