Has anybody thought that reality and actuality is not always the same? There may not be many people like those in Reality TV shows, but has anybody thought about its actuality? I will use GAMBLING as an example to discuss reality and actuality.
Do scientists gamble? Many scientists would say: “No, we never gamble. We don’t have the time and money to go to Las Vegas.” Yes, in reality, scientists work late hours at the lab. They don’t normally gamble. But, what do scientists usually do in the lab? – Experiments.
Break through scientific findings usually build on thousands and thousands of failed experiments and, finally, success by accident. If we already had the answer and knew how to get the answer, and everybody can do it, it would not be called research. Does this seem familiar to you? Yes, in actuality, it is kind of gamble, isn’t it?
Do businessmen gamble? Many businessmen would say: “No, I’ve never wasted a penny in Las Vegas.” A wise businessman knows how to use his money to make money. They don’t gamble. And, even if they go to Las Vegas, it is just to spend some money for fun. But what do businessmen usually do in their routine lives? – Business, of course. What does business mean? – Making money, of course. What does making money mean? – It means some other people will lose money.
Everybody hopes they are good businessmen, who can always make money, and not lose money. That’s what business school teaches, I guess. But, can anybody know which stock on Wall Street will always win? Do businessmen always know which deal can make them wealthy, which deal will make them lose money? If that were true, everybody would be rich. Does this look familiar to you? Yes, in actuality, it is kind of gamble too, isn’t it?
Do you gamble? Of course not, in reality. But, please think again…When a little girl is looking for love, her Mom usually tells her: “Don’t be fooled by the surface of the guy. There was a princess who kissed an ugly frog, and that ugly frog became a handsome prince.” Later, the little girl may come back to her Mom and ask: “Mom, I kissed an ugly frog, but it is still an ugly frog. It did not change. How can I know which one I kiss will change into a prince?” Can moms always be able to answer that question?
There is another story called “Cinderella.” That’s my favorite story from childhood. The story ends when that handsome prince comes to pick the right girl, and they go to the royal palace. But the story does not tell us what happens after that, behind that closed royal palace door. Can two people who grew up with that different a background live together happily just because of love? Princess Diana had a similar story in reality. What’s the actuality? We don’t know. Yes, in actuality, we gamble all the time.
Some may say: “Nobody can fool ME. I have a lot of experience. I can feel when something is wrong. I have tried to teach others, but no one will listen to me.” Yes, some people can see things more clearly than others but, note, this means they can foresee what happens to others more clearly. No one can clearly foresee what happens to themselves.
Yes, if you don’t gamble, you will never lose. But, you will never win either. I have to say, in actuality, not only do we gamble all the time, but gambling cannot be avoided.
As a former scientist, everything is an experiment for me. And, even I fail 1,000 times, I still hope for success on the 1,001st time to cover all my failures and mistakes.
