Macau Metaphor
10/January/07 16:54 Filed in: Perspective on
Macau
I know it has been quite a while since my last entry.
I was too busy to think during December. Not a good
thing. I'm trying to not let that be the case in 2007
and so far I've done better.
Today I had lunch with a friend I've know for about 8 years. He's 23 years old. A secondary school graduate. He's a very bright and active guy, full of energy and ideas. I hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks. He called me up wanting to meet for lunch. For two hours we talked, well, mostly he talked and I listened. As I listened my heart grew heavier and heavier. Here's why.
About 8 months ago he took the path that many of Macau's young people are walking these days. Taking a job as a dealer in one of the new casinos he learned the ins & outs of the gambling game. With this newfound knowledge in hand, he has set upon a plan to win his way to millions. After working his 8 hour shift, he heads to one of the rival casinos to take advantage of his insider knowledge at the card tables. It's been a stressful and trying time as he seeks to balance all the demands this pursuit is putting on his life.
Him: "Larry, about a month ago I realized that I had lost hope. I went to work, went home, went to work, back home. I didn't know why I was doing all that I was doing."
Me: "Like a rat on a wheel. I've been there too at times. How are you now?"
Him: "Well last week I realized that since going to work at the casino I had lost my goals, my vision."
Me: Thinking to myself, "here's a real moment of awakening and awareness in him."
Him: "But I have a new goal, a new dream. I want to buy a dream house. I realized that all this work and all the risk I'm taking is so that I can have my dream house. I also want a new car - a new BMW and a maybe a Rolex. Have you seen the Titus brand of watches? They are so beautiful but even more expensive."
Me: "But what if you lose when you are gambling? You know the casino always wins."
Him: "But I'm careful and I have a plan. I know what I'm doing. I may lose sometimes but overall I'll win and get my dream house."
And so the conversation went. He is chasing a dream that will never satisfy. He is Macau's living metaphor. My concern is for the day we have lunch and I learn that his dream has become a nightmare.
Today I had lunch with a friend I've know for about 8 years. He's 23 years old. A secondary school graduate. He's a very bright and active guy, full of energy and ideas. I hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks. He called me up wanting to meet for lunch. For two hours we talked, well, mostly he talked and I listened. As I listened my heart grew heavier and heavier. Here's why.
About 8 months ago he took the path that many of Macau's young people are walking these days. Taking a job as a dealer in one of the new casinos he learned the ins & outs of the gambling game. With this newfound knowledge in hand, he has set upon a plan to win his way to millions. After working his 8 hour shift, he heads to one of the rival casinos to take advantage of his insider knowledge at the card tables. It's been a stressful and trying time as he seeks to balance all the demands this pursuit is putting on his life.
Him: "Larry, about a month ago I realized that I had lost hope. I went to work, went home, went to work, back home. I didn't know why I was doing all that I was doing."
Me: "Like a rat on a wheel. I've been there too at times. How are you now?"
Him: "Well last week I realized that since going to work at the casino I had lost my goals, my vision."
Me: Thinking to myself, "here's a real moment of awakening and awareness in him."
Him: "But I have a new goal, a new dream. I want to buy a dream house. I realized that all this work and all the risk I'm taking is so that I can have my dream house. I also want a new car - a new BMW and a maybe a Rolex. Have you seen the Titus brand of watches? They are so beautiful but even more expensive."
Me: "But what if you lose when you are gambling? You know the casino always wins."
Him: "But I'm careful and I have a plan. I know what I'm doing. I may lose sometimes but overall I'll win and get my dream house."
And so the conversation went. He is chasing a dream that will never satisfy. He is Macau's living metaphor. My concern is for the day we have lunch and I learn that his dream has become a nightmare.
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