Ever met someone like this - a bizzare businessman

[scroobal]

No, this guy had his HDB flat in SengKang.

I know someone like that. Could it be the same person?

Was the bungalow located somewhere between Grange Road and the Malaysian embassy?

 

[scroobal]

He had to sell his HDB flat to avoid bankruptcy. This guy has been funding his business first from the mortgage of his mother's bungalow and now his HDB flat.

actually, its quite rare to see people with no attachment to HDBs, or Accomodations...

perhaps he did his calculations right, and it's simply not worth it to own a flat, perhaps rental may be a better deal?

and since he got 3 cars, maybe he could rent out his cars as a source of income?

it's quite profitable renting cars... especially in Singapore.

now adays, KIA cars design are matching those of Audi's as the designer of Audi are working with them now...

 

[moolightaffairs]

those real rich towkay i know love to eat porridge and kiam chye. they dont waste food too, they will finish whatever they ordered. they chin chai eat also. they are focus on how to make things work than what to eat or when to fuck.

 

[Sperminator]

those real rich towkay i know love to eat porridge and kiam chye. they dont waste food too, they will finish whatever they ordered. they chin chai eat also. they are focus on how to make things work than what to eat or when to fuck.

Spot on...

I've watched a documentary about Lee Kar Shing / Li Jia Cheng, while eating his breakfast, he would eat simply... teochew porridge, kiam chye, very little meat, and takes good care of his health....

There was once Lee Kar Shing dropped a HKD 10 coin under his car, and he even bend over to reach for it.

His security guard came and see what happened, and helped Lee Kar Shing picked up the Coin, underneath his car.

And Lee Kar Shing gave the guard HKD 100 tips.

On interview of that incident... this was his reply, very interesting;

"If the coin was lost, the value of HKD 10 would be lost forever when it does not circulate in the market"

On why he gave HKD 100 tips?

"It's to reward the guard for helping (providing a service to) him to take the HKD 10 coin"

I believe every economist here will agree the power of 1 HKD 10 coin being circulated 100 times... the value is HKD 1,000!!! (HKD 10 X 100)

From the Lee Kar Shing's incident, I've learnt that it's more important to take care of health, and to remain humble... Wealth is indeed in the state of the mind...

 

[scoopdreams]

One of the chief reasons why people do things differently is simply because it generates POI that can sustain conversation an otherwise shallow mind cannot.

In business, this might translate into an advantage that constantly puts you in the forefront of contacts' mindshare - the first name that pops up wins half the battle, as they say.

His tactic worked, didn't it? You are hanging around him just to see what else he does differently, you talked about it in this forum, many tried to comment (including me).

If using Rogue Trader's 3 archetypes analysis, this guy would figure as a connector to me.

 

[singveld]

I- go eat Chicken rice, must go to East Coast 5 star and the guy there will prepare special plate of steamed / roast etc..

hello i just want to know what is east coast 5 star chicken rice, i never heard of it.
where is it?
i want to try too.

 

[scroobal]

Agree and you can see how they prioritise the way they do things and the reason for their success.

those real rich towkay i know love to eat porridge and kiam chye. they dont waste food too, they will finish whatever they ordered. they chin chai eat also. they are focus on how to make things work than what to eat or when to fuck.

 

[scroobal]

Not this guy. It certainly is a disorder. My first impression was that he was an individual who was never a follower but someone who thinks out of the box. Then I realised that he made very very poor business decisions and had a track record of it. He would justify his decisions by hollow analysis or with no foundation. All those who know him will not correct him as they are ridiculous and that he was a poor listener.

Only later the pattern emerged. Noodle dish that conventionally goes with cut green chilli, he will order with red chilli. All minor inconsequential interactions that has no bearing on his well being or his business.

Mind you this guy is polite and nice, another thing that seems odd. In the 8 years since I met this guy, 2 houses lost ( none of it from his own money but his mother"s)a few businesses down the drain and the current business given to him by a chap introduced by his NS buddy. This business is based on a sole supplier. So far as I can see, its straight forward and his wife is pretty much in control.

One of the chief reasons why people do things differently is simply because it generates POI that can sustain conversation an otherwise shallow mind cannot.

In business, this might translate into an advantage that constantly puts you in the forefront of contacts' mindshare - the first name that pops up wins half the battle, as they say.

His tactic worked, didn't it? You are hanging around him just to see what else he does differently, you talked about it in this forum, many tried to comment (including me).

If using Rogue Trader's 3 archetypes analysis, this guy would figure as a connector to me.

 

[cocobobo]

its a common trick among biz ppl. called leaving a trademark. that way you are 'uniquely' identified. like one angmoh motivational speaker, always request to have a specific flower in his hotel room wherever he goes. that way the hotels know him and talks about him even before he comes. sometimes any publicity is good publicity.

 

[scroobal]

I only mentioned that he is businessman and nothing to do with his business. In family circles, friends and relatives etc he does the same thing. And with ridiculous things like hawker food and trivial matters. No house but got 3 cars - what has this got to do with publicity.

I was hoping if someone has come across this disorder or seen similar traits in others. I am very close to persuading his wife and relatives to get him to see a psychiatrist.

The closest I have come across to is a civil servant who had similar habits and eventually boarded out on mental medical grounds when he started holding an open umbrella while walking within the building.

its a common trick among biz ppl. called leaving a trademark. that way you are 'uniquely' identified. like one angmoh motivational speaker, always request to have a specific flower in his hotel room wherever he goes. that way the hotels know him and talks about him even before he comes. sometimes any publicity is good publicity.

 

[Ash007]

Hmmm you have to be very careful advising people that have strange behavior. Some of them may even feel offended when you mention they should see a psychiatrist. As far as what you have described, I don't think he is harming himself or others. Its just being eccentric, like what you have mentioned. Maybe the closest is to OCDs, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. In my personal opinion, as long as he is not harming anyone, then just let him be, its hard to change someone once they have reached a certain age. Especially when he has been doing this for years.

One more thing, "Asian" culture has this bad perception that seeing a psychiatrist means that there is something wrong with you. You would want to thread this carefully.

 

[scroobal]

Agree, that is why I was hoping that someone might have come across similar cases so that I have plank to stand on. I suspect that the money is going to run out soon and there might be dire consequences for the family.

Very tricky indeed.

Many years ago, there was this Eurasian chap called Scully that behaved similarly and when the fairy tale was busted. He and his wife who was a respected school principal gassed the whole family to death. No one, including friends and family knew how bad the situation was. He was thought to be a successful business man.

Hmmm you have to be very careful advising people that have strange behavior. Some of them may even feel offended when you mention they should see a psychiatrist. As far as what you have described, I don't think he is harming himself or others. Its just being eccentric, like what you have mentioned. Maybe the closest is to OCDs, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. In my personal opinion, as long as he is not harming anyone, then just let him be, its hard to change someone once they have reached a certain age. Especially when he has been doing this for years.

One more thing, "Asian" culture has this bad perception that seeing a psychiatrist means that there is something wrong with you. You would want to thread this carefully.

 

[Ash007]

Ok, I think I'm starting to see your concerns. First of all, you are just an outsider, what others do with their money, assets, really isn't your concern. You mention that you can get through to his wife. If you are "afraid" that things would be bad to them once their money runs out. Maybe you can talk to the wife about this in private. Sometimes, when everything is fine, people tends to be complacent, and would not listen to anyone.

I have not met the person myself, so can't comment on how you would approach this. There are ways to handle people depending on their personality. Being eccentric could mean he is open to ideas, or new ways of looking at things. Maybe you can start off by looking at what interest him, and find a way to work the financial angle into the conversation.

I'm helping out a suicidal person now. He is separated from his wife and two kids and have attempted suicide a couple of times. Very bad bouts of depression, I think I'm managing to turn his life around now. All he needed is just someone to listen. This guy just doesn't sound like he is at that stage yet. You are probably just overtly concern on things that "MAY" happen. Keep in touch with him, keep an eye on what he is doing if you are a good friend. Until something happen, there is really nothing you can do, or should do. Singaporean have a tendency to worry about things that doesn't concerns them. When the real shit hits the fan, they tend to ignore it and run away. I hope you can help him out if something does happen to him.

 

[scroobal]

See how it goes. Just waiting for an opportunity to speak to the wife and only if she asks.

You mention that you can get through to his wife. If you are "afraid" that things would be bad to them once their money runs out. Maybe you can talk to the wife about this in private. Sometimes, when everything is fine, people tends to be complacent, and would not listen to anyone.

Decent of you bro.

I'm helping out a suicidal person now. He is separated from his wife and two kids and have attempted suicide a couple of times. .

 

[Ash007]

Bah I help out if I can and only within my own means. Don't over extend yourself with your friend. Only do it within your own means. From a neuroscience point of view, helping out people increases your dopamine level and hence you get that "high" "good" feeling that is associated with charity. Just make sure that you are not being scammed/cheated while doing it.

 

[bhoven]

Seems to me that he is suffering from an inferiority complex and is trying to get "recognition" by being different. To him being different from others is to be "special" or " superior".. need to be acknowledged by service providers wherever he goes is a good
sympton/indicator...

 

[scroobal]

Good point.

Bah I help out if I can and only within my own means. Don't over extend yourself with your friend. Only do it within your own means. From a neuroscience point of view, helping out people increases your dopamine level and hence you get that "high" "good" feeling that is associated with charity. Just make sure that you are not being scammed/cheated while doing it.

 

[elephanto]

This is one of the rare human interest threads from Scroobal that has nothing to do with politics/current affairs.

Reading now 3 pages of comments, they have given me food for thought over the past few days.

2 schools here:
a) this chap is consciously so
b) this chap is unconsciously so.

My take is he is not deliberately acting or trying to be different etc.
So it is (b), then it falls under a wide label called 'eccentricity'.

People who are eccentric are entitled to their eccentricities until such a time when, there are deemed harmful to the subject, maybe even fatally so.

The other uneducated folks who are fatalists, may say this guy is born under the zodiac sign of 'cat' - being so ngeow & unorthodox & even a 'born loser' - just plain unlucky.

But if one takes a more scientific look, you would realise perhaps the cause of all this eccentricity lies in the , for want of a better analogy, the 'special lens' he has honed & used over the years of his life.

All our perception & reasoning are based on a certain lens & their optical properties - a set of fixed beliefs validated from experience invariably unique, conclusions that are formed that form a person's world view.

By and large, there is a mainstream view or conventional wisdom.

But some fall outside this bell curve where the middle ground is conventional wisdom.

To the right of the Bell curve lies the geniuses.
To the left lies the disingenious, the fools, the misguided & the eccentrics.

Habits mental & physical are lifelong masters.

Your friend's record of failures is a result of some fatal flaw in his handling of affairs yet is oblivious to him because his flawed ways somehow lie hidden in the unique construct of his inner Universe which has served him well all through is life & is part of his identity, his being, his id.

Very hard to reason with such types - maybe even impossible because the reasoning heuristics are fossilized.

My bro, an army regular (LTC) is like that. His take on many things are so 'eccentric'. He is not spectacularly successful, neither is he a failure. he gets by with his life & all in all, a happy successful family to boot. But any discussion on current affairs with him never fails to amaze me.

These people who fall into the left side of the Bell curve may or may not be left alone. Some have within themselves the seeds of self-destruction - walking time-bombs.

You are obviously intrigued by your friend as a 'phenomenon' as well as concerned but not to the point of being proactively interventionist (wait for his wife to initiate....).

His many unorthodox behaviour in every sphere of life is to him entirely 'reasonable' based on his own special lens of seeing the world & life. Some might find his reasoning as endless justification or 'different for the sake of different' or simply 'ngeow'. I am pretty sure he didn't set out to be so. His responses are as natural as night & day to himself.

How to help ?

Perhaps only through his loved & close ones.

Winning their confidants' minds & confidence is the key to effectively averting them from possible tragedies ahead.

Just my 2 cents worth of opinion

 

[Rogue Trader]

Then the business personality archetype model do not applies to this guy. Sorry but there is no cures for poor judgement and insecurity.
Loosing 3 house is a big blow. Like tonychat like to blame everyone else for his CMI in life failure, this guy purposely make funny choices to cover up for business failure.

 

[Rogue Trader]

Seems to me that he is suffering from an inferiority complex and is trying to get "recognition" by being different. To him being different from others is to be "special" or " superior".. need to be acknowledged by service providers wherever he goes is a good
sympton/indicator...

i agreed 100%. this reinforce my above post.