Nobody and Somebody

National Achiever's Congress was a big disappointment. It was totally different from what I expected it to be. It became just a sales platform and nothing substantial was shared. Maybe I am just too ignorant to appreciate the high level sharing. There were no structured activities for you to develop any real friendship between new contacts, but it was good time to catch up with old friends.

There was a group of participants from Taiwan who were sitting near the stage. They were very 'high' and very responsive. A young lady who was sitting next to the stairs ran up on stage and was almost the first one every time a question was asked.

"Would you mind whether the brand of your shirt is crocodile or Polo Ralph Lauren?"

The lady dashed on stage and said,"Yes. it matters. I am a nobody, but when I wear a Polo Ralph Lauren, I became a Somebody."

The answer was received with thunderous applause. Apparently the crowd agreed with her.
As I walked among the crowd these days, her answer subconsciously surfaced in my mind. Not that I agree, but I was trying to assess the validity of her answer.

It was at this same time that a particular KK irked me so much in the office. He was rotund appearance and bright round eyes. He would be a good candidate to dress up as Santa Claus or Laughing Buddha. He spoke well and made sense in his speech. But working with him was a nightmare. He does not put in sufficient effort and contribute when he is capable of doing more. He irritated me so much that I think all my good karma must have been burnt in the fury that he ignited in me for the past few weeks.

As the Chinese saying goes 路遥知马力，日就见人心. So what if a nobody became that Somebody in the split second. It is useless if he does not have the material to substantiate it. Why do we buy into these western fallacy?