CHAPTER 8
BE WISE
Look at the back of a cigarette pack, you will find the statement, “the federal ministry of health warns that tobacco smokers are reliable to die young.” I notice the same on every advert of these cigarette big Whigs on TV and radio. What’s startling though is that while the warning has persisted, the number of smokers has been on the rise and increasingly too, the number of victims.
It is funny to note how unwise smokers could be in the face of a daring warning of the implications they get to face. They often discover their foolishness on the hospital bed, praying and hoping to get out soon enough for a new leaf.
Like smokers, humans generally would continue with an action however the warning against it until they are hit with the negative effects. We choose to take risks blindly thinking we are on the right path even against warnings from knowledgeable authority and then quiver at the outcome. It is not surprising the many casualties of so many delirious acts could possibly have avoided them if they had chosen to listen to wise words from those who knew.
Some persons see warnings as an opportunity to create personality. They give the impression of being godlike; going ahead with the action they have been warned against. The problem about this people is that they never walk alone. They carry with them followers who fuel them with the impetus to carry on towards the grave. Surprisingly, these followers are naive jumping straight on the bandwagon without questioning the necessity for their action.
We are faced with dilemmas, especially because some actions though wrong are given the green light in the media because of the profitability of such actions to the pockets of a few gluttonous beings. Like the cigarette adverts that are often seductive to the eyes of non-smokers and smokers alike even with the warning, we are blinded by the seemingly attractive and enticing nature of the things that do have the capability to hurt us the most that we hardly believe they could truly hurt.
The strength of the crowded band draws us away from having real sight of the problem we could face in the future. This is often challenging because of the crowd’s seductive nature to what’s wrong. It’s the crowd that goes rioting; the crowd often fails to listen. The statement “everyone’s doing it, so what’s wrong with it?” could deceive you.
One truth you must be certain about is that the crowd is the target. Once a thing can attract the crowd, it’s certainly going to attract a large number of people and over time, the number would increase. Advertisers understand the power they have and they play with the sensual character that most people have. They paint a great picture and after a rigorous process of analyzing human minds in their mind labs, they release the adverts to the world of people who feverishly go for the products.
Not everything that looks great at face value is great. Everyone may be jumping at it but that’s everyone, not you. You have to take your time and make a choice decision. You can afford to let the crowd go and walk alone when you have to. The crowd may bust and yell. They may call you a freak and term you all manner of names. It helps if you choose to stand away from the crowd.
Before you jump at that seemingly attractive venture, take your time to understand the cons and pros. ask yourself the following questions.
When you’ve found answers to these questions, you can head on.
The whole truth lies in you applying wisdom over your affairs. Listen to others and learn from their experiences. Take warnings however little they may seem, they are invaluable to helping you lead a great life. Don’t act blindly, check around you. The things that hurt are often things whose warnings we overlook. Be wise.