Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Charlie
No, no, I'm wondering what is it that winners actually win, and what is it that losers actually lose? How do we know that the winners ain't really losing or that the losers ain't really winning?
Here's a story to emphasise my point:
In ancient China an old Taoist farmer lost his horse. Now this was a big deal in those days as the horse did much of the work. The farmer's neighbour caught wind of this and came to offer his condolences. "What terrible news, how will you manage your land with no horse?" said the neighbour. The farmer shrugged.
The next day the farmer's horse returned and brought with it three wild horses which it had met in the wild. The neighbour caught wind of this nad came to offer his congratulations." What great news, you now have four horses, three of which you can sell, you must be delighted?" said the neighbour. The farmer shrugged.
The next day the farmer's son was training one of the wild horses when he was thrown from it's back and injured himself so badly that he would never walk again. The neighbour caught hold of this and came to offer his sorrow. "Poor you, now your son will never walk again, and you will have to farm the land alone, I'm so sorry" said the neighbour. The farmer shrugged. "That farmer's a fool" said the neighbour to himself. "He doesn't even have the sense to know when life is dealing him a good hand or a bad hand".
The next day an army officer arrives at the house recruiting soldiers. The law is that every young and able man must join the army and be sent off to fight in a bloody and unjust battle. A battle where none will survive. The officer examined the crippled son, saw that he was of no use, and left. The neighbour caught hold of this and came to offer his congratulations. "Who would have thought it, your horse running away, it surely saved your son's life. You must be delighted?" said the neighbour. The farmer shrugged.
The story goes on like that forever...
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That doesn't stop each story from being either a win or a loss. It only changes when the parameters change. Losing a horse is still losing. Just because it came back with more horses doesn't make losing the horse any more of a loss when the loss actually happened, it just negates the loss later on. Turning it into some big philosophical question is fun and all, but winning is still winning and losing is still losing.
Just ask Charlie Sheen. Dude knows stuff.