When I was in 3rd grade, we would joke around with this equation, and laugh. This joke is for newly enrolled 1st graders who were having their first taste of math. Of course, we all know the answer to 1+1, and it is NOT 11. As we progressed through the educational system, we started to learn about x2 + y2 = c2 and Tan = x/y. (If you don’t remember this anymore, ok ra. Dili ka ma pobre. Believe me.) We also learned that H2O stood for the chemical notation of a water molecule. In short, there are many other things that we need to learn and retain in our minds to understand the underlying meaning and operations of various things around us. This is the reason why we have schools for basic learning, and educational institutions for higher learning, and post graduate courses for further understanding of our complex world.
The complexity of human interaction cannot and should not be oversimplified into mere slogans. When this happens, so much misery results around us. Why? Because 1+1 IS NOT equal to 11.
The recent rise of Investment Schemes promising the public of 30%, 35% even 400% monthly return on investment was indeed enthralling. The daily grind that many daily wage earners had to go through made the promise very enticing. Seeing with their own eyes how neighbors and colleagues received their “blessings” or “payout” from the investment scheme was more than convincing. This was proof of the truthfulness of the investment scheme. The fact that lawyers, accountants, teachers and even bank workers got into the scheme was not just proof, but an endorsement of the scheme that indeed it was REAL!
When ordinary folk – tricycle drivers, fish sellers, vulcanizing shop owners – were asked how the 30%, 35% even 400% return was possible; the answer was BITCOIN and FOREX TRADING on the Internet. There was even mention of being engaged in a Global Business Enterprise. What the enterprise was about, no one could say. When professionals were asked, their answer was sinister! “Sugal ra ni amoa. Para ra ni sa mga risk taker. Kabalo mi nga ma tumba ra ni. Pero dugay pa man. Mentras naa pa’y mo apil ani, dri mi.”
The answer given by ordinary folk and professionals was to say the least – divergent. Somebody was taking advantage of somebody in the mix. But how could everyone get so deluded? The answer is as simple as 1+1=11. Those who knew the real story kept stating 1+1=11. Then they added the dimension of “This is god’s way of fulfilling the promise of 1 Corinthians 1:5”. Which also reveals that MANY of those who believed IN WHAT WAS POSTED DO NOT READ THEIR BIBLES! (basaha gud!)
Understanding why 1+1 is NOT = to 11 is a very basic lesson in math. Understanding why 30%, 35% and 400% return on investment each month is NOT ATTAINABLE requires a complex understanding of enterprise management, economics and finance. The declaration of such returns sounded so TRUE because many people saw with their eyes their colleagues and neighbors receiving those kinds of returns. Now, why are those kinds of returns NOT POSSIBLE? (To be continued)
