I’ve been getting a bit of hate-mail lately. Here’s what I think about it.
So I’ve been copping a bit of hate-mail lately.
This isn’t entirely new. I’m a hate-able guy. But it does seem to have picked up a bit lately.
And it’s coming at me from all directions. When I stuck my neck out for Black Lives Matter, I got attacked by conservatives. When I stuck the boot into Dan Andrews and Victoria’s Covid response, I got attacked by progressives. When I said you need to live for the moment because every moment could be your last, I got attacked by… actually I don’t know what they were on about.
Whatever. Come at me internet!
And I’m not here for sympathy. Sure, it might be nice if every now and then someone wrote in to say, “Up you go, Jon. Thanks for the laffs.” But it’s ok.
There are a few things that occur to me though.
The first is the number of messages that go something like, “I’ve been enjoying your blogs for four years now, but after that last email I set fire to my computer and I never want to hear from you again.”
Really? You’ve been vibing with what I’ve been saying for a few years, and then on the back of one email, bam, I’m blacklisted?
I’m ‘cancelled’?
I think I can get this. It feels like our very way of life is under attack right now. We feel we need to defend it in whatever way we can. As soon as there’s the first sign of rot in any aspect of our life, that aspect has to be cut out and destroyed as soon as possible.
There’s no room for second chances here.
It doesn’t matter if that rot is a charismatic entrepreneur with a provocative blog we’ve been enjoying for years. As soon as there’s any hint that this cancer is taking hold there too, boof, he’s gone.
I guess my response would be to say slow down and take a moment here. Your defensive drive doesn’t need to be so urgent. Yes, it feels like the world is falling apart, but it will be ok. We’ll find a way.
And the health of any cell is in its connections. I think its regrettable that we’ve become much more tribal in recent years. We’ve burrowed into social media thought bubbles, and the only voices we want to hear are the voices we like.
And I get how that happens too, but I do think it’s a good practice to keep yourself exposed to a variety of voices.
The more exposed your are to the political biome, the less likely you are to get hypo-allergenic reactions.
And my voice isn’t one you’re going to get anywhere else. I’m not pushing a political barrow. I’m just a guy who nerds out on property and wealth, with a personal mission to shake people out of their comfort zones.
I’m just ‘that guy’.
I’m not asking to be the voice of your inner-conscious. I’m not asking to speak for your most preciously held dreams and aspirations.
And you don’t want that from me either.
Just let me be ‘that guy’. Let me be a guy with a unique outlook on life and money and personal growth.
You’re not going to agree with everything I say. It’d be boring if you did. And that’s not what these blogs are for. I’m not here to feed you opinions you already have.
I’m here to give you an insight into the thinking of ‘that guy’. So you can reflect on it and go, isn’t it interesting that ‘that guy’ has ‘that opinion’? Isn’t the world a curious place?
And in that sense, ‘that guy’ is only here so you can learn more about yourself. You shouldn’t be reading me to know what I think. You should be reading me to get a clearer idea of what you think.
So look, hate on me all you want. Go nuts. But don’t bunker yourself just because you don’t like the voice you hear every couple of years or so.
Also, you all know these blogs go up on the website and the Facebook page right? If you’re going to have a spray, don’t waste it on my inbox.
Put it up on the web for everyone to see. There’s a bunch of people who will probably agree with you. And I might not respond to every comment, but I’ll definitely have a read.
I’ve been doing these blogs for 8 years now. It’s been great and I’m not planning to stop any time soon. And for everyone who’s stuck with me through that time, thanks for everything. I deeply appreciate it.
Yours, forever and ever
That Guy