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The Kentaro Sono Letter 2024
〒600-8846 京都府京都市下京区朱雀宝蔵町44番地
協栄ビル2階 京都朱雀スタジオ
H-209
2024-W38-3 | Wednesday | Bonus: DEU
No. 262
From:
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto, Japan
Wednesday, 10:00 A.M.
September 18, 2024
Dear Friend,
In the book Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs, in CHAPTER ONE, the author Jamie Fiore Higgins writes:
With each hour, everyone got more and more drunk. Instead of coffee at dessert, Rob ordered a dozen tequila shots. Everyone’s hands reached for the waiter’s tray before he could put the drinks on the table, and two shots knocked over. The table roared in laughter; the waiter rolled his eyes. I felt embarrassed that I was part of this crew. I didn’t take a shot, but everyone was too drunk to notice. Rob’s arm was around Michelle—her head rested on his shoulder, her eyes were glassy. Sofia focused on the guy next to her, Tim, who’d been on the crew team at Duke. She stared wide-eyed at him and smiled and nodded at his slurred anecdotes about frat parties and summers on the Cape.
To read, or not to read, that is the question.
Do you have too many books in your shelf and don't know from which book to start? You buy and buy books after books, don't read through any of them, and get tired of yourself? You think you are stupid? Don't worry. Stupid people don't buy books at all from the beginning. But you can get smarter, right now.
Know how to prioritize books!
Listen: Basically, conventional school systems force you to what to read. We don't have many options in school days. Because of that, once you are freed from the school curriculum, you don't know how to decide what to read based on what grounds.
Have your own criterion to prioritize books!
For example:
- Basically, I prefer Non-fiction over Fiction. Because Non-fiction books are easier to quote in your sales letters or newsletters than Fiction.
- Basically, I prefer Biographies, Autobiographies or Memoirs over General Know-How Books. Because I want to know a vivid real stories. Not proverbs, principles, or maxims. Personally, refined principles rarely work in my life.
- Basically, I prefer the Inside Stories in the specific industries over the general theories. Because each industries have stupid, questionable values and practices, They are interesting to read and useful in your real lives.
- Basically, I prefer a book which deals with money problems explicitly over a book which avoids mentioning money problems. Because the latter is often poetic and sleepy.
I can continue on and on... But you got the point now. I don't tell you copy my criterion. Think about your situation, ask yourself what you should prioritize on what grounds. It's your choice.
Today's Pearl of Wisdom #1:
Have your own criterion to prioritize your books!
Sincerely,
Kentaro Sono
Bonus 1:
The Kentaro Sono Selection 2024
~What did you read today?~
No. 262-1
In the book Gestatten Elite. Auf den Spuren der Machtigen von morgen, in the chapter ICH LERNE DIE ELITE KENNEN, the author Julia Friedrichs writes:
Er habe gerade eine große europäische Fluglinie saniert, sagte er. Kosten reduziert, Leute entlassen. Die hätten sich ganz schön gesperrt. Aber er hätte alle Widerstände gebrochen. Jetzt sei der Laden wieder fit. Und wieder trank er, lachte und gestikulierte. Er war so beschäftigt mit sich selbst, dass er erst sehr spät merkte, dass ich seine Geschichte nicht mochte. Dann verstand er und schaute mich an, als hätte er erkannt, dass ihm kein »High Potential« gegenübersaß.
This scene depicts McKinsey Company's semi-welcome party. And this book is about "Elite".
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, elite means belonging to a group of people in society that is small in number but powerful and with a lot of influence, because they are rich, intelligent, etc.
In conventional schools, we are taught at school discrimination is bad and we must abolish it. Bad sadly, it's a just manifesto. No one really wants to abolish it. We love discrimination, as long as it doesn't hurt you.
When you create products with high profit margins, understanding this psychological insight is almost necessary.
Today's Pearl of Wisdom #2:
When you create products with high profit margins, just remember people want to be treated specially, not equally with all others!
Bonus 2:
The Kentaro Sono Selection 2024
~What did you read today?~
No. 262-2
In the book Crazy Rich, in the chapter 1. Auftakt, the author Julia Friedrichs writes:
Seit ich mich mit Superreichen beschäftige, bin ich Abonnentin der Boote Exclusiv, einer der Zeitschriften, die sich dem teuersten Produkt widmen, das momentan zu kaufen ist: Superjachten. Und eigentlich braucht es nicht viel mehr als das Sonderheft zu den 200 größten Motorjachten, um zu verstehen, dass der Reichtum einiger Menschen Dimensionen erreicht hat, die schwer fassbar sind. Da wird in einer großen Bildstrecke die AHPO vorgestellt, die neue 115-Meter-Jacht der deutschen Werft Lürssen: ein wuchtiges weißes Schiff, sechs Etagen hoch, vorn, auf Holzplanken, das große H, Landeplatz für den Zubringerhubschrauber.
To understand super rich people, the author Julia Friedrichs subscribes the magazine Boote Exclusiv, which specializes in superyachts. This idea is very simple, basic, and effective. You should copy it too.
If you want to understand someone, the first step I recommend is subscribe the magazine or newspapers he or she subscribes. It's relatively cheap, easy, and fun. You can learn the popular topics, the-specific-jargons, and inside stories. Knowing these, you can be one of them.
Remember: They don't want abolish all kinds of discriminations. The separation between "we" and "they" never die. Only the criterion somewhat change.
Today's Pearl of Wisdom #3:
If you want to be one of them, subscribe the magazine or newspapers they subscribe!
