But I Don’t WANT To Be Like You
Some people just love to hear the sound of their own voice. If they receive reinforcement, especially compliments, they often become even more enamored with their own reflection and begin to confuse “I stated this because it’s true” with “This is true because I stated it.”
Some of those people have blogs.
I have a full-time job, three daughters and a life away from this computer. I get to daytrade one full day and usually one partial day each week and I constantly swing trade. The little bit of time I spend at the keyboard at night is split between research, reading and writing.
And I’m not really interested in wasting one minute of that time reading someone who’s using their blog as a form of masturbation.
So here’s what I do: When I read something interesting, entertaining, or that just looks like someone put a lot of work into it, I’ll send them a sort of a “ping” comment or email. Always complimentary and respectful. Usually make some kind of lame joke. But “Enjoy your work, thanks for going to the effort,” etc. As is customary with comment systems, my name will be linked back to this site.
Their response is how I know whether to add them to my Google Reader. It generally only comes in two forms- the first, which is similar to what I try to do when folks are kind enough to leave me a comment here, looks something like
“Hi Will, thank you for the compliment. I do work hard on (blah blah blah) and I think (yada yada yada). Also I find YOUR site (educational/ entertaining/ curious) and I see you’ve spent some DECADES (trading/ performing linear regression analysis/ getting spanked by Mr. Dow and Mr. Jones). Glad to hear from you.”
The Other kind of response is more like this:
“Yes, well you just keep trying and reading what I write. That big bad stock market is very complicated and it’s not everyone who can understand it like I do, but if you work really hard, one day when you grow up you too can start trading stocks and can be JUST LIKE ME.”
Really? Just like you? You mean, with my head up my own ass and all?
Sheesh.
LP said,
November 2, 2006 @ 8:59 am
Love the “Other kind of response”. Funnny. Was that Bill Gross that wrote that, you know 16 years of beating the markets, I guess he can say that.
I find what you mentioned and link exchanges to be real funny.
Will said,
November 2, 2006 @ 9:22 am
LP- if only. But the irony is that the true talent, which has every right to brag, doesn’t.
I’m reminded of my good friend Danny Wilder, the best and most eloquent guitar player I know (and whom I’ve seen at the Blues Jam for oh, 12 years now). Any time some hotshot from New Orleans or Houston shows up and starts, “Oh hey, do you play?” And Danny will be, “Yeah, I pick a little.” Then of course hotshot is, “Well I play the sh*t out of that sh*t!”.
And you know the rest. Hotshot makes a fool of himself, and ends up hanging around Danny like a groupie before the night’s over.
The trait that seems to cross various walks of life is graciousness. The great ones don’t need to tell you how great they are, and often intentionally downplay it out of modesty.
Good to hear from ya!