"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
-Samuel Johnson
One of those eloquent sayings that capture the naked truth. How many among us would lower our eyes and try to justify why this one rubs us the wrong way? It is the definition of humanity that most do not measure up to these days. A friend relayed to me an assesment by one of the people who knows me (and doesn't like me) that I am great salesman, but not a good businessman. I thought of it for a few minutes and decided that to some degree they are right. For I try to measure up to that statement above. I may not always succeed, but I try. And no "good" businessman would. Or would they?
If you read "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell you would remember his description of the best car salesman in america. This guy in a NJ Toyota dealership sells around 60 cars PER MONTH. How does he do it? He breaks any pre-judgement he may have about a customer when he meets them. He MAKES himself erase any judgement, prejudice, "wisdom" etc. and simply tries to treat every person the best he can without any consideration for possible benefit. He treats the pimply 17 year old, the old farmer in overalls, and businessman in a suite exactly the same. And they buy cars from him. So I do get the conventional wisdom on this. But I don't buy it. If I screw someone, did that make me a good businessman? Or did it make me a variant of a shoplifter? Shoplifters benefit too. Just not over time.
So when such judgement comes from someone whose whole value system was built by and shaped in the former Sovietr Union. Whose corrupt and myoipic defintion of a good businessman translates into screwing as many people as they can, I would employ another great saying:
"You can always judge a man by the quality of his enemies."
-Doctor Who, Remembrance of the Daleks
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