Goodbye Greedy JC

Goodbye Greedy JC

Putting oneself out there truly brings unique opportunities.

More so than monetary compensation, these freelance assignments also offered extremely valuable life lessons, both pleasant and unpleasant.

An opportunity came along many years ago to interpret for a network marketing company attempting to enter the Japanese market.

The task?

Support an American, “JC”, coming to “open up” Japan.

Here, one really got an in-depth look at a specific kind of American mind-set, in particular the mind-set of selfishness, narcissism, and greed.

This work entailed making calls on his behalf, interpreting in meetings, and other fundamental tasks he was not capable of due to the significant language barrier.

Japanese cultural barriers lurking beneath the surface can be much more deeply problematic when the guest also carry with them an air of cultural superiority and arrogance, especially when they know little, to absolutely nothing about Japan.

All the more Mickey Mouse and somewhat farcical was JC’s was clinically obese, a redhead with a goatee, and spoke in a high-pitched whiny voice.

The contradictions abounded, as the company he was trying to bring to Japan in a network marketing format was a health supplement company, and this very unhealthy man, both physically and mentally was a extremely poor, and ultimately a failed choice to represent his company’s health and wellness narrative.

One also recalls always being aghast and recoiloing in horror as he constantly stomped all over the Japanese sensibilities with his boorish behaviour, and gruff and boisterous mannerisms, where one has coined the term, “The JC Honky Stomp.”

He also thought it was appropriate to yell and curse over the phone for one of his very own mistakes.

Smiling to oneself while he yelled into the phone, one could visualize his redhead with flames shooting out, along with a very bright crimson face and highly elevated blood pressure.

There were  also some deep verbal drubbings in person as one came to the role of not only interpreter and guide inside the murky waters of Japanese business, but also to play his whipping boy.

Cultural Note: This is what is known as yatsu atari (八つ当たり).

One is certainly glad to have been in Japan for many years by then with a good sense of calmness and Stoicism in the face of this agitated, aggressive, and greedy American.

He would often make snide comments that whenever he looked at a Japanese person’s face all he could see was ¥10,000 notes.

He would also refer to the prospective Japanese clients as “my retirement fund.”

This aligned with one’s understanding of this particularly sleazy type of American.

Many things about this belligerent and ultimate repulsive beast exuded heaps of negative energy, embodying the culture of greed and selfishness.

This is where all people are looked upon as somewhere to extract money, as much money as possible, without any regard for the person at the opposite end of the transaction.

Perhaps his company should have selected someone with a little more cultural awareness as this company, like so many other network marketing company trying to come to Japan soon failed, never to return.

As with all stories, there is an end, and JC’s came via a massive heart attack in his late 50s.

Regardless of how much money may, or may have not flowed through JC’s grubby chubby little fingers during his miserable life, one believes he short existence was meaningless, for no matter how much material one accumulates  throughout a lifetime, the old adage will eternally ring true: You can not take it with you.

Greedy JC could never be satisfied, nor could he stop comparing himself to others, which left him frustrated and ultimately bitter throughout his pointless life.

Many valuable lessons, some of them quite harsh, were not lost on his interpreter whatsoever.

For this confirmed one’s understanding that selfishness and greed are a form of self deception, which ultimately leads to a frustrating, empty, and meaningless life.

To be clear, the importance money and how to handle it properly is critical to a peaceful and fulfilling life, and money must be looked upon as a neutral conduit of energy only.

Indeed, a life worth living is made up of the people one meets along the Way.

Bonus: Read more about the the importance of “once in a lifetime”