Jun 30, 2011

419. There Must Be A Better World Somewhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXJP1xp5FH8

I am not saying my theory is correct. Hey, one of my hobbies is making mistakes! I guess what I'm trying to give you here is just an alternative way of thinking.

I believe the secret to survive in this modern jungle is to appreciate what we have now, instead of finding faults on everyone, or contemplating what we have lost or how we came to lose all the good stuff we valued before.

Now, if you have the superman complex, well then, try to get to the top when you obtain the power of superman and the authority to change the system. But before you reach the top, never, ever tell your boss how to do his job, especially in a meeting and in front of everyone else!

To criticize anybody openly is the quickest way to earn yourself a sworn enemy who will then make sure you never get anything you want, and to alienate any friends you think you have, because you will be labeled the rebel of the system, and considered too dangerous to stay close to. The best you can get is some sympathetic looks from your soon to be ex-coworkers.

But whatever you choose as a weapon in any fight at work or even at home, never resort to PMS, unless you don’t mind being regarded as a Chauvinist pig!

The art of apologizing is something we’ve lost a long time ago. Most people now apologize with an excuse or a clause by saying “I’m sorry, but…” Look, if there is any “but,” that means you are not really sorry.

Very rarely I hear someone simply says, “Sorry, it was my mistake, I will try not to make the same mistake again.” And when the excuse never comes, it always takes me by surprise and makes me reflect on myself and see my own mistakes.

One thing I have learned over the years is, there are no real friends in the office. To be honest, office politics is something to fear only for those who are actually good at their jobs, because they are also clever enough to know they are being abused. Nobody is afraid of the stupid ones so they are usually safe. But only the truly clever ones know how to work smart but look stupid, while lying low and out of anybody's way, in short, to be the "team player!"

If a man is not happy with his career, and relies on his partner to make him happy, it will never work in the long term. It’s a huge burden on his partner to listen to his endless complaints and act as his personal clown every day. And no matter how hard she tries, he will never be really happy. Plus it’s plainly unfair.

The Asian philosophy on this is to behave like bamboos, which bend themselves when the wind is too strong. That’s why they never break. In fact, that’s also a very female way of thinking.

Women tend to avoid confrontations. But it doesn’t mean we will tolerate the situation forever. We will make certain you know how we feel, gently and subtly, but if you still can’t change, we will finally pack up and leave. We are not bamboos after all.