Nosy People and "Rules of Life"

As far as I know, everyone has their style of going things, be it financial management, business or what they do in their social circles.

Each and everyone one of us has their own ways and there is absolutely no "correct" way to go about life, just as long as one doesn't break the law or kill or hurt. Each person does different jobs or businesses, and each job or businesses are most important in their own way to the whole organization or even society, be it the position of CEO or the window cleaner or the garbage disposal guy.

So it's kind of idiotic that there will always be someone nosy who'll always interrupt into someone else's lives and point out to them what they are doing is right or wrong, and think they know better.

Things like financial management. How to deal with loans. How to deal with businesses. How to deal with people. How investing stocks will make you lose money. How to determine an insurance agent. It seems like people are living life as if these "set of rules" are cast in stone forever and couldn't be changed, and like to force their opinions down your throats.

As far as I'm concerned, investing in stocks will not always end in failure. Only people idiotic enough to just "buy" without any sort of research into whatever he is buying and simply by listening to others which stocks are good will end up losing all their money. It's fools like these that, after failing, will go around announcing to others loudly that stocks are not good to invest into, to cover up for the fact that he or she is an idiot for not doing proper research & homework. You know, the empty cans always makes the loudest noise.

Similarly, there is no true guideline on "choosing" an insurance agent, every insurance agent is different. An insurance agent that is aggressive in achieving targets *does not* necessarily mean he's just in for the money and will neglect his customers and on follow ups. Nor is it written in stone that an insurance agent that is good at providing services and follow ups mean that he knows a damn thing about what he's selling. Just as long as you trust him and he does things well, that's enough. People constantly judge by listening on how "aggressive" he is and immediately makes assumptions.

And there are several ways to taking loans, and not all loans are bad for us. A loan for a widescreen TV or car, for example, is a stupid loan, but a loan for a business that will ensure a return is actually good one, even though both will make you owe money.

The funniest (and most annoying) one would be business. I get all these people giving me "advice" about how to run a business, how to manage the whole thing, how to take precautions and not risk it all... Which is all good except for one minor detail: these people are all employees and were never in business at all. Oh dear. Excuse me, if these are all employed, then what gives them the right to give business advice if they've never had to experience in competing, react quickly to changes and taking risks?

The saddest part? These are all the people closest to us, the very people that - for those who don't know any better - might listen to. They think they're supporting but it would just end up the opposite. One hiccup and they'll be all over the place with "I told you so". There are definitely others who do wholeheartedly support, of course, and this is definitely appreciated - but this article is aimed at those who haven't got a clue.

It's a shame that there will people around us are programmed to join the mainstream. Take the easier way. Take the safer way. Join a large corporation that pays well, with a good pension plan and stick with it.

You know, like Enron. Or WorldCom. Or General Motors.