A fool learns nothing from his friends

“A wise man gets more use for his enemies than a fool for his friends.” Baltasar Gracián
For the years that I have been in this field I have mentioned that I am not trying to be some kind of ‘priest’ with the comments that I write for this paper nor would I like to be labelled a motivational speaker. I believe we have enough of those since they have popped up like mushrooms all over the place making them impossible to miss. I also believe that what I put here is the simple truth. Therefore if you believe that your negative comments are putting me off from writing this piece, you are absolutely…wrong. I am fully aware that you cannot all like me or what I say. A wise man knows how to use or manipulate his enemies to his advantage or perhaps he can learn from them. A fool learns nothing from his friends, and isn’t wise enough to use them to his advantage. A wise man would use, learn and manipulate his enemies because they are his enemies. He is wise enough to know that you do not use a friend. For years bad people continue using the same set of tricks, and the reason why they keep doing it, is because it works. Once you get down into the mud with them, they do not know what to do, and are entrapped by their own doings. When people mistreat you, always find a peaceful way to deal with it, at the same time giving the person at fault the chance to “save face.” However, try to remove yourself from the company of such a person, the first opportunity you get. I have learned to do this as I have come to fathom that some people are simply ruthless and will do anything to achieve their ghastly ambitions. You help somebody and before they exercise the common courtesy and say “thank you,” they begin to act as if they were not helped and that you had nothing to do with their achievements. As soon as you find them out, you must throw them away like a rotten potato and have nothing to do with them again. They will try to pull the forgiveness doctrines, to suck you back in. If the person is not playing by the forgiveness and love rule, you must not play by it either. Ask yourself how it will help you. If a person is not playing by the rules, what chance do you have in the game?
As one of my friends puts it:
“If they don’t say it to your face, don’t bother hurting over what is being said about you. Just keep pushing till your time comes.”
Lerato…