Wednesday, August 26, 2009

I Haven't Made It In Life!

Does having a luxurious and expensive car define you as someone who has made it in life?

This morning when I arrived at work and was parking my car, one of the printing agents that normally come to my office to get stuff done was also in the midst of parking next to me. After we both parked our car and got out, the usual good mornings and hello's were exchanged.

Then he looked at my car and said to me rather bluntly,

'Hey Nick, when you going to change your car to something classier?'

'Why?' I asked him.

'To show that you've made it in life' he said.

I was dumbfounded by his answer. You mean to tell me that the way to judge if a person has made it in life is by how expensive his car is? Good god almighty, judging by how old and beat up my car is, that must make me a loser. OHMYGOD! I'd better go buy myself a brand new Mercedes Benz or something. I mean, I can't very well drive my old clunker if I wanna look like I've made it in life!

Geez, granted my car is pretty old and all that, but it doesn't necessarily represent my status in life. It's only a blooming car that gets me from point A to point B. I could always go out and buy a new car, something cool looking but what would be the point? I'd be owing the bank for the next 5-9 years. Then one day when I can't pay my installments I'd have the bank chasing me like crazy. I don't have that with my car now seeing as how it's fully paid up.

I was really dumbstruck by his statement. This coming from a guy who owed people, including us a heck of a lot of outstanding payments. This coming from a guy who would always NEVER offer to pay when we have drinks at the mamak stall downstairs. This coming from a guy who had to once or twice rush to our office to tell us not to bank in the cheques he gave us cos there was not enough funds in his bank account!

And yet he tells me that just cos his car is better, bigger and more expensive than mine that he has made it in life. I'll bet he's even probably defaulted on his car installments and has the bank chasing his to pay up constantly. Well, if that's his way of saying that he's made it in life, well good for him.

I really cannot understand this obsession with some people that they have to show off that they're doing well (which half the time is the actual opposite) and flaunt their big, huge and often times luxurious cars so that people might just look at them with awe and say,

'Whoa, check out his car, that's a guy who has made it in life!'

What do you think should be the criteria for one to have made it in life? A big house with some plasma mounts? A huge car with state of the art hi-fi? An expensive Patek Phillippe on your wrist? Would those portray you as someone who has made it in life? I don't know about you, but it doesn't work that way for me.

The next time he comes to my office pleading with us to not cash his cheque, these words would definitely leave my lips,

'But I thought you made it in life, what? You mean you got no money in your bank, ah?'
.

20 comments:

  1. That's why some buffoons spend more money on their cars instead of their houses and savings. Stupid perception.

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  2. Bud, you should have told him there is more to life than showing other people that you have made it in life and giving them a false perception by driving a fancy car or something. Having a loving wife and kids is more than enough to measure that you've made it in life. Besides does he have friends like Seansy and me...that alone is enough to measure that you've made it in life hehehe

    Cheers bub and are we and Seansy on for this weekend??!!

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  3. That happens everywhere... what I heard though is that businessmen have an 'image' to maintain... hence the luxury cars, etc. Cos no one's gonna see their pockets, so no one's gonna know how broke they could be. But seriously, if your car can move to point A to B without you having to scream in frustration, then just keep it

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  4. *facepalming. Why own a luxury car when u're in debt *facepalm

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  5. hehehehehee...trueeee!! We have one client like that too. He owns a 1/2 million mercz benz car but pay us with a post dated cheque..same lah..once in few months will call us not to bank-in his cheque coz' not enough fund in the account..
    As long as we have car to commute to work..it's more than enough already kan? what's the point owning a big car if hutang keliling pinggang?? ekekekeke

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  6. well nick, we're sometimes living in a clueless and cruel world..perhaps, that's the way how to show their status and swagger for having something that hard to get... sometimes, it's quite true, it's hard to judge the book by its cover. there are some people who cannot accept their reality life and pretended to be pretty looking like a rich man which actually they are not but of course there's others who was actually born with a silver spoon...

    but the truth is, just ignore it..u know what you are doing and you know yourself and how you handle your life so..whatever people say about you..ignore it...it's better to be truth with ourselves than pretended to be some who are actually not us.. and sometimes we don't need to show our luxurious car to let others know how rich and affordable we are.. sometimes, it can tells even without showing it..and the truth is even the big fat tauke eating in an old, out of class restaurant, but still if he rich..he is rich... or in a simple word.."biar miskin d luar janji kaya di bank..wakak and jangan kaya di luar tapi, dalam bank habuk pun tarak!! LOL!!

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  7. Gallivanter - A lot of people equate success by the flashy car they drive which is really a silly perception like you said.

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  8. Adrian - Yeah with friends like you and Sean, how could I have not made it in life ... LOL!

    But I agree with you that having a loving wife and kids is a better measure of making it in life.

    Don't know la dude, I'll give the bum a call tomorrow and check with him :D

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  9. Terra - It's the image thing, huh? Why do people care so much what other think of them? I'm not at all bothered what people think of me. As long as I know where I stand in life, that's all that matters to me.

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  10. Someone who works with my husband told him the other day that we should get a new car. Sure our car isn't in the best shape, but I thought it was rather rude that the guy said that to him. Some people have no class do they.

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  11. Kadusmama - What you say is absolutely true. A lot of people I know want to portray that they up there and made it in life when in true fact, they have hutang keliling pinggang as you say.

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  12. Sweet-Girlicious - Hey, thanks for advise. I think you're absolutely right in what you say.

    They is another saying that goes like this: Tie on collar, pocket no dollar ...

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  13. Tammy - Yes, it's absolutely rude and insulting to even suggest to someone about how old their car is ...

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  14. Uts very SAD and very TRUE that most people realy ARE that superficial. And those are the very same poeple who find themselves in huge amounts of debt because they are trying to look like something they are not. I find it upsetting, but that is just the way society is sometimes.

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  15. OMG!!!!SOOOOOO RUDEEEEE and SHALLOW!!

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  16. I should hit that guy on her face.. material is not everything..

    expensive car? it just increase your debt right?

    don't bother la Nick.. that guy is "a low minded person" who didnt understand what's life is all aboout..

    long time haven't here.. hope you always fine buddy :)

    Fyzal's Territory

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  17. Meleah - It is sad. I guess to a lot of people, looking good, rich and successful is a must.

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  18. Emelda - Shallow is a perfect word to describe people like these.

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  19. Fyzal - No point la buddy. I don't want to go to jail for an idiot like him.

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