Over the past couple of days, I’ve been seeing a great deal of news about the feedback on the “laissez-faire” approach taken by various overseas governments in managing the epidemic. Spain and Italy have been the most prominent examples.
This isn’t a denial of other countries’ efforts to save their citizens. Rather, I want to lay out a complete logical framework — so you understand what strategic trade-offs you would make if you were the head of a foreign nation. A president. A prime minister. A chancellor.
While shallow fools think that spitting on the ground is the mark of someone with no “quality,” we must understand that the spirit of fighting relentlessly for family and career is what true “quality” actually means.
P.S.: Originally, I planned to have a proper discussion today about life choices and investment opportunities in the wake of recent developments. But then I thought back to a dinner gathering a few nights ago.
Note: The first half of this article is entertainment; the second half is practical guidance. Feel free to skip straight to the latter if that’s what you’re after.
The more people you encounter in life, the deeper your understanding of human nature grows. And the more overseas Chinese you meet, the clearer your picture of that particular community becomes.
Take, for example, a question many people find puzzling: why do some overseas Chinese, upon returning to China, carry themselves with such arrogance and condescension? Middle-class immigrant Chinese especially.
Thanks to a friend’s account, Master Chi learned today of a deeply disturbing news report. The incident itself is straightforward enough: a 19-year-old college student, after an explosive confrontation with his parents at home — compounded by long-standing tensions with classmates, teachers, and dormitory staff at school — finally reached his breaking point on the afternoon of March 15th. He grabbed a knife, rushed downstairs, and seriously wounded an innocent 2-year-old girl. (Whether her life is in danger remains unclear at the time of writing — please refer to the latest news coverage for confirmation.)
The title Master Chi has chosen for today is a phrase he has pondered for a long time — one he wants to give to you as a gift. Its meaning, stripped bare, isn’t complicated: every setback and hardship in life carries its own value and purpose. And much of that pain — if you don’t take it now, the version that comes for you later won’t be a minor stumble. It will be a true catastrophe.
When I was young, I believed the world should be level — otherwise it simply wasn’t fair. Later I came to understand that this logic was flawed. Not because I had grown cynical about reality, but because I had come to grasp the actual rules of the game.
Back then, before I had any real depth of experience, I assumed that relying on your parents’ foundation was something to be ashamed of. That was naïve.
Introduction: Young people dream of strategizing from the safety of their tents, but those who have truly lived through it understand — great achievements forged from seas of blood and fire are always accompanied by humiliation and pain, by collapse and hard-won clarity. So it is precisely those who have emerged from the darkest depths, or clawed their way down from the most desperate heights, who are most likely to create miracles.
When the major life cycle (大运) has yet to turn favorable, the struggle truly feels overwhelming — and I suspect many readers felt this acutely this year. Setting aside hearsay and rumors, even the close companions in my own circles — regardless of how large their operations have grown — would be hard-pressed to say this year has been particularly joyful. Never mind one long red candle on the index today; looking at the capital markets across the whole year, the picture is murky at best. And so the wolves and tigers in my world — the bold, the sharp — have grown listless and distracted. No wonder: the market hasn’t fully broken down, but neither has it rebuilt itself. In the end, it all comes down to reading the sky, watching the dragon’s face. Whether you’re hunting opportunities or positioning for the future, this isn’t the optimal moment. But the weight of capital costs and the steady erosion of value — those are real worries that gnaw at all of us. So be it: grab a plane ticket, get away, take a holiday, clear your head.
When I was younger, I didn’t really understand why people who had achieved real status and accomplishment always needed a capable right-hand man by their side. Now, having reached a modest position myself, I finally understand: having an assistant isn’t about showing off or putting on airs, as outsiders might assume. Most of the important decisions and calls still have to come from you personally. The real purpose of an assistant is purely practical — to handle the physical labor and daily minutiae of life: driving, running errands, handling logistics, and so on.
Master Chi has a habit: every year during the week before New Year’s Day, he takes the full week to slowly reflect and take stock of everything that has unfolded over the past twelve months. If this were pushed back to January or February — when the Lunar New Year draws near — the mind begins to loosen. Festive obligations and the endless small business of the season make it far too easy for your thoughts and focus to scatter.