What Do They Know, Anyway?

Everyone knows that the infamous, cryptic curse “may you live in interesting times” is derived from an ancient Chinese proverb.
Except it’s not. The Yale Book of Quotations states that “No authentic Chinese saying to this effect has ever been found.” In fact, most researchers seem to agree that the phrase originated, in one form or another, in the early 1930’s. Still even the august Robert Kennedy incorrectly attributed the curse in a speech in 1966. Everybody knows that.

Usually, what everyone knows (real estate is a bullet proof investment, you shouldn’t swim for an hour after eating, don’t drink red wine with fish) is a bunch of horseshit. In fact, if you think about it, throughout history it’s always been a better bet to go against conventional wisdom. Everyone was buying tulips in the mid-seventeenth century just like everyone was buying tech stocks in the ‘90’s, and in both instances everyone went bust. When the whole world tries to climb on board, the boat has to sink. So if the guy next to you at the bar starts talking about how easy it is to flip houses and make a quick buck, or how petstore.com is poised to go through the roof, it’s time to sell, and fast.

Everyone is pretty much the same as They. You know – They say it’s going to be a hot one today, They say it’s going to be a long winter, They say not to put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket? Try telling that to someone like Michael Phelps. Success always comes from putting everything you’ve got behind an idea and not giving up until you’re either on top of the world or you’re dead.

The thing about basing your decisions on what They think is that no one is really sure who “they” are. Is it God, your Grandmother, that nutty guy Larry who lives down the hall and goes out at night dressed like Darth Vader? Who the hell, exactly is they? They is your worst enemy, that’s who.

Another thing that They’re famous for is contradicting themselves. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, but don’t try to do too much – he’s just got too much on his plate, they’ll say. Well to an extent, they’re right. You can’t do two things at the same time and do either of them well, but what you can do is take on a bunch of projects, in sequence, and pull them off, one at a time. It’s all about focus.

I haven’t posted in a while because I’m trying to finish the outline for my Diamond Joe Esposito/Jeanette Esposito Braun book and open a restaurant. And run the businesses I’ve got. It’s been a kind of tragic comedy so far. Some of the highlights include a Director of Operations who spent $36 K hiring and training a gargantuan staff and then fired three quarters of them the next week. Or the daily juggle to deal with the line of contractors who are demanding to be paid. It puts on a lot of pressure, especially since I’ve put everything on the line. Amid all the chaos I have to try to carve out a few hours every day to write, to work on my project. They say it can’t be done.

They is the court of public opinion, and we all know what H.L. Mencken said about the intelligence of the general public. If I’d listened to what They say, I never would have left the squalid freak show of Flint Michigan and bounced around the country. And I’d never have given up a good job with a Title Insurance company to go into the bar business. That was more than twenty years ago and I’m still doing okay; They were wrong about that.

Right now things look pretty grim. And there are no guarantees, it still might all blow up in my face. But I’ve got a hunch I’m going to make it, that things will turn out okay. I have a lot of work to do, and it won’t be easy, but if I concentrate on one thing at a time and do my best while I’m working on that one thing, it can be done. I know it. So if you’re reading this and you happen to be wondering what you should do about some big decision, go with your gut. That’s the best advice I can give. Don’t listen to convention, the popular vote, your school counselor or your Mom. Decide what it is that you really want to do and then give it everything you’ve got. Even if things don’t work out the way you want them to, something good will come of your decision.

The only thing that doesn’t work is doing what other people want you to do. Do that and someday you’re going to look back with regret. Regret’s the real bitch; forget failure. Write that novel, pull up stakes and move to Belize, jump out of that airplane. What’s worse – going for it, or always wondering about what might have been? Take the leap and don’t look back. What have you got to lose, really? It won’t always be fun, and it’s definitely not easy, but what’s the alternative? And when the going gets tough – and it will – just remember what They say: The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

— Ric Hess, Aug 5, 03:25 PM

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