The frog

There is a Malay saying "katak dibawah tempurung" and also a Cantonese saying "cheang tei chi wa - frog at the bottom of the well". Both mean someone who has not been exposed to the world. The poor frog that only knows what is around it because that is the only thing it is familiar with. 

A : You know, I’ve changed my imported car into a local car. Since then, it’s sooo good! I can drive up and down and still remain low profile! No one recognizes me at all!! I can do whatever I want!! No one knows!

B : What is it that you are doing that you need to be so low profile???

The above conversation I had with a certain professional acquaintance I have from Ipoh prompted this post.

As I have mentioned before, I am born and bred in Ipoh. I have been living in Ipoh for a large part of my life, discounting stints in Australia and KL.

Ipoh is a great place to live in and bring children up. There is none of the hustle and bustle of the big city traits, the air and water is of much better quality in here and we’ve got such excellent local food at great prices in here. However, it does tend to breed a certain type of individual that are peculiar to small towns.

Anyway, back to Mr A. It blows me away to interact with someone like that. I am not able to get through to them with the huge ego getting in the way. After some sharing with a particular girlfriend, it seems like this kind of behaviour is normal for small towns. 

These people tend to think that their particular town is the center of the world. I am guessing that that’s normal since they have obviously chosen to reside in there. It is still odd behaviour they display. They work at the same job for years on end and probably end up very good at what they do. With the amount of free time on their hands, they become intensely political, backbiting and making life difficult for other people.

The good news? This behaviour is easily cured. Travel. Go out of your comfortable town or city and visit other places. See how other people live, realize that there are other bigger, more accomplished people out there. If nothing, at least it reduces your ego to the point other people can get through to you.

The more successful in life you are, the more modest you become.