"Trick"—who doesn't feel pressure who doesn't get annoyed

Author: Wolf Solo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Who "fooled" you? Different answers, different results. Pressure is a "treasure," but also a "bastard." When I can handle it, I say, "Okay, come on!" When I can't, I say, "Sorry, I don't have time to play with you." I've always believed in this saying: "As long as I'm here, there's hope." The head is on your own shoulders—don't let others fool you or fool yourself too much. If that's the case, pressure will naturally decrease. So, the solution to dealing with pressure is simple: Don't let others fool you, and don't fool yourself either. —Wolf
Starting with Selling a Crutch, Wolf Solo's series of sketches on the Spring Festival Gala for three consecutive years, as part of Zhao Benshan's performances, were hailed as the "Trilogy of Fooling." The term "fooling" (), a colloquialism from Tieling in Liaoning Province, was introduced into the ears of millions through Zhao Benshan's "pouty mouth." Thus, just like the word "suspected" back then, "fooling" became a very familiar term. It's vivid, full of life, like the spring blossoms of late March in Beijing.
The Modern Chinese Dictionary defines "fooling" as "to shake" (). Now, it has been given a new meaning: "to deceive" or "to persuade." This is the "evolution" of language. I don't know how etymologists would explain it, but I naturally assume that "fooling" means shaking—shaking someone until they're dizzy, trying to influence their thoughts or decisions. This might be the meaning people use today.
Fan Wei was "fooled" by Zhao Benshan into buying a crutch; farmers were "fooled" by unscrupulous merchants into buying seeds that wouldn't sprout; city dwellers were "fooled" by real estate saleswomen into buying houses with missing features. Farm workers were "fooled" by bosses into taking "white slips" instead of money. There's also the case of a newlywed couple fighting, with the woman saying, "You fooled me when we were dating."
In fact, we are often "fooled" by others, and we also frequently "fool" ourselves. "I can't," "I have no way," "I was born poor," "Why does it always happen to me?" Or, "I'm the best in the world," "No one in the office is as good as me." When people "fool" themselves, it's no less bizarre than the tricks of unscrupulous merchants and politicians. In this chaotic web of "fooling"—big and small, you and me, up and down—we feel immense pressure. Thus, frustration, regret, and despair set in; our quality of life suffers greatly. So, to put it crudely: much of this pressure is caused by "fooling."
Of course, not all "fooling" is bad. If you really want to "fool" someone, at least do it with good intentions. The head is on your own shoulders—don't let others fool you or fool yourself too much. That's the best thing to do, and if that's the case, pressure will naturally decrease. So, the solution to reducing pressure isn't complicated at all: Don't let others fool you, and don't fool yourself either.