The board meetings are behind me, so I can turn my mind to ‘big thoughts’. And let me say, what wonderful boards (yes, now, with the closing of Finca Microfinance Holdings, there are two) we have. Striking the perfect balance between understanding how to control risk while achieving the mission in some of the world’s riskiest markets. Not an easy task.
And now to Big Thought Number One. I was quite undone by Mr. Santorum’s suggestion that anyone with a college degree was a Snob. But rather than stew in my own juices, I thought I would go straight to the source and see if he had been misinterpreted, which, as we know, often happens with the “Drive By Liberal Media”.
Rupe: “Rick, I have a problem.”
Rick: “Share, man. Don’t hold back.”
Rupe: “I think I’m a Snob.”
Rick: “You’re good, man. We can Un-Snob you.”
Rupe: “Really?”
Rick: “Sure. If we can de-certify unions and de-program Moonies, we can de-Snob you. Where did you go to school?”
Rupe: “Uhhhhhh…..Brown. But it wasn’t really Ivy League in those days, kind of…….”
Rick: “Ouch. But Okay. Stay on the line. We can help. And listen, this is important. Did you have professors who encouraged you to question The Establishment?”
Rupe: “Actually, I didn’t have any that didn’t do that.”
Rick: “AHAH! I knew it. And did you change any of your opinions as a result?”
Rupe: “Actually, yes. For example, I came out of high school feeling guilty that I didn’t join my buddies and go to Vietnam. I came out, thinking like John Kerry, that I didn’t want to be “the last man to die for a mistake”
Rick: “Rupert, we can help you. But this won’t be easy. You need to understand how serious this is. You have been taught to analyze things, to think for yourself. This is a very dangerous quality in a Free Society.”
Rupe: “So what can I do? Give me some hope!”
Rick: “Listen to Rush Limbaugh for six straight hours and call me in the morning.”
Rupert