Review of Life: Interpretation of 108 Laws of Life

Author: Zhang Keshi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The Poor What Do They Lack?
The Law of the Poor: Those who are poor and willingly remain poor are the true poor.
Ballaong was a young media mogul who started by selling decorative portraits. In less than a decade, he rapidly rose to become one of the top 50 wealthiest individuals in France. He passed away in 1998 from prostate cancer at the Bobigny Hospital in France. Before his death, he left a will donating his 460 million franc shares to the Bobigny Hospital for prostate cancer research, along with a 1 million franc prize for anyone who could unravel the mystery of poverty.
After Ballaong's death, the French newspaper Corse-Matin published one of his wills. He said, "I was once poor, but I entered heaven as a rich man. Before crossing the threshold of heaven, I didn’t want to take my secret to becoming wealthy with me. Now, the secret is locked in a private safe at the Bank of France, in my possession. The three keys to the safe are in the hands of my lawyer and two agents. Whoever can guess my secret by answering 'What do the poor lack?' will receive my congratulations. Of course, by then, I won’t be able to stretch my hands from my grave to cheer for his wisdom, but he can proudly take 1 million francs from that safe—it is the applause I give him."
After the will was published, Corse-Matin received a flood of letters. Some cursed Ballaong for being crazy, others accused the newspaper of sensationalism to boost circulation, but most people sent in their answers. The vast majority believed that the poor lack money. What else could the poor lack? Of course, money. Once they have money, they are no longer poor.
Another group believed that the poor lack opportunities. Some remain poor simply because they missed the right timing: they didn’t buy stocks before they soared or sell them after they peaked. In short, the poor are poor because of bad timing.
Yet another group thought that the poor lack skills. Those who can get rich quickly are usually skilled in some trade. Some people stay poor because they lack a specialized skill.
Others believed that the poor lack help and care. Every political party promises a lot to the unemployed before coming to power, but how many truly care for them after taking office? There were also other answers, such as: the poor lack beauty, a Pierre Cardin coat, the Corse-Matin, the presidency, or a copper urinal made in Chatou. In short, the answers were endless.
On the anniversary of Ballaong’s death, his lawyer and agents, under the supervision of the notary office, opened the safe as per his instructions. Among the 48,561 letters, a girl named Tillie guessed Ballaong’s secret. Both Tillie and Ballaong believed that the poor lack ambition—the ambition to become rich.
On the day of the award, Corse-Matin, filled with curiosity, asked the 9-year-old Tillie why she thought it was ambition rather than something else. Tillie replied, "Every time my sister brings her 11-year-old boyfriend home, she always warns me not to be ambitious! Don’t be ambitious! I thought maybe ambition can help people get what they want."