Wise and the Fool

Presley sang: "Wise men say only fools rush in". But even he couldn't help being the fool. What is so wrong with being the fool? What is so wrong with rushing in anyway?

If you happen to be a student of finance or a related area, something that you will hear over and over again is that there is no free lunch in this world. And that great rewards come only with great risks. If you happen to be going through any motivational material, you would most probably be urged to take that half opportunity. Ignore what people say but just 'rush in'. In short, everyone asks you to be the fool. So what is so wrong with being the fool?

The wise, the ones thinking twice before they take a step are missing out on joy of taking the risk. As if they give up living their life so they can arrive at their death bed in a good shape. What good is a life if you never lived it?

I would love to take my half chances. I wouldn't regret jumping off a cliff if I believed I could fly. I would love to be the fool. The only wisdom I need is to know that all I want to do is to fly. Its no rocket science.

But being the fool isn't as simple as it sounds. There is a lot to suffer, a lot to give up and in the end could leave you with nothing. Half-way through the jump from the cliff you could realise that the calculation was a mess and you couldn't fly! But who cares? You never could make it if you didn't gave it a go! In the end when you look back at life, you would at least know that you gave it a go. At least you dreamed, at least you lived.

Moral: The finance guys are right when they tell you great reward comes with great risks. May be that is the reason everyone 'rushed in' to buy the subprime securities.

PS: I'm no writer. I'm no wise man. If you be the fool and fly, good on you! If you don't fly, you must be a fool to listen to a fool. But cheer the fact that you tried.