There he is, big as life, Alex Trebek, on the TV screen pitching \u201csenior\u201d life insurance for Colonial Penn (cannot be turned down) Life Insurance Company. He\u2019s there, because the advertising team thinks we\u2019ll buy Alex\u2019s line. After all, he\u2019s the smartest man on TV; he knows the questions to all the answers on Jeopardy. <\/p>\n
Next, up pops Fonzie (Henry Winkler), that loveable rascal from Happy Days. He\u2019s pitching reverse mortgages. How can we not heed his promise of happiness as we go through our golden years, flush with cash after signing up? He was always straight with Mrs. B, and with a snap of his fingers, he could fix anything.<\/p>\n
This is how gullible the ad people think we are. Put a TV star in front of us and we\u2019ll buy it. Unfortunately, all too often, we do just that. It\u2019s the sheep gene that comes with being human. Old coots (myself included) have worked hard to flush out that part of our DNA; it takes years of hard work and many bruises along the way. Mostly to our egos. We withstand criticism for being skeptical old goats, and cheapskates too. The training began the day we figured out that Santa Claus was a scam, an ingenious behavior modification mechanism. Little by little we strengthened the muscles of our skepticism, growing from gullible to wise, at least when it comes to snake oil salesmen. <\/p>\n
But, some of my compatriots never graduate from Old Coot University. They give a caller their electric bill account number, send a check to the IRS to avoid going to the slammer and send a money order to a long-lost cousin who needs cash to get back home after being mugged. We learn to live by well-worn adages; they serve us well, those gems of wisdom from thousands of years of human experience that are so succinctly stated in just a few words: – \u201cIf it seems too good to be true it probably is.\u201d That single piece of advice is enough to stifle Alex Trebek and Henry Winkler when thy come after your wallet. It might be wise to write it down and glue it to the corner of the TV screen, a \u201cpicture-in-picture\u201d sort of thing, so when the Hollywood crowd (and politicians) start talking you\u2019ll remember to engage the skepticism neurons in your brain. <\/p>\n
Here are a few other from my top 50 list of adages, most of which I learned to be true the hard way: There is no such thing as a free lunch – If it ain\u2019t broke don\u2019t fix it – Don\u2019t bite the hand that feeds you – Don\u2019t put all your eggs in one basket – Two wrongs don\u2019t make a right – People who live in glass houses should not throw stones – A stitch in time saves nine – You can\u2019t judge a book by its cover. <\/i><\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the start of a few others. I\u2019m sure you can finish them. If not, you need to do more work. The grass is always\u2026 Absence makes the heart\u2026 A chain is only as strong as\u2026 There is no time like\u2026 All good things must\u2026 Actions speak louder than\u2026 Keep your friends close and your\u2026 Hope for the best but\u2026 The squeaky wheel gets\u2026<\/i> <\/p>\n
And of course, the most useful of all – Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you<\/i>. Too bad Fonzie and Trebek didn\u2019t adopt that one.<\/p>\n