Whenever I hear the line from a popular comedy series: "My friend , I have a great idea", I think of various "business proposals", which I have received in my life from acquaintances, passers-by and various suspicious characters.
There is hardly any easy money anywhere.
Even in this new crypto world - where for 1$ sometimes someone makes 1000$ (a possibility that is measured in parts per thousand and which never happens to us personally 馃榾), because with 1000$ you will make 900$ (at best 1100$).
That easy money that is mentioned in the crypto world sometimes costs individuals their heads, and certainly a lot of nerves...
And outside of the crypto world, getting easy money is usually an even more difficult mission.
I wouldn't mention gambling, casinos and betting shops wouldn't be renovated every now and then, and their owners wouldn't be millionaires, if they weren't doing business in the red.
Read, their plus, our minus 馃檪
And what is left?
Either honest and hard work, which brings earnings with which you can usually lead a normal life, or not so honest, which can bring a mountain of money, but the collapse of reputation, honor, and sometimes a significant reduction in the number of years spent in freedom under this blue sky of ours...
One of today's weekend-engagement questions is:
Would you accept a job that you knew was criminal just to make a healthy sum of money?
I never thought of accepting a criminal job, which would really bring me large amounts of money, but which would make me a man, the kind I don't really like or respect today (I would write first, I despise).
It doesn't necessarily have to be engaging in criminal activities, but perhaps just working for someone who engages in criminal activities?
I will freely write here, and if anyone wants, they can look for a term on the Internet, related to today's situation in Serbia. I have never been and will never be "膰aci" in my life.
Because today every "膰aci" in Serbia works for a criminal organized group that steals an entire country and its entire people!
As a young man, I passed my driving test very early and knew how to drive well.
One of my peers, who was connected to some criminal structures (related to the car mafia), offered me and another friend to drive cars for him outside the borders of our country.
He offered us money that we could only dream of at the time.
Knowing him, we knew that there were some dubious actions involved and although the offer seemed tempting to us (expensive car, a lot of easy money...) neither of us accepted the job.
Decades have passed. While I was waiting to board the plane at an airport, I heard someone calling me from behind.
It was that boy, now a middle-aged man from my neighborhood.
"So where are you, what are you doing, what's new..." We got into a short story.
He had piles of money, jewelry, girlfriends, cars, and when he was caught in the business he was in, a conviction and a prison sentence.
Then, the loss of money, cars and girls. Then, after serving the prison sentence, crimes again. So prison sentence again.
And only a few years ago, he made the decision to start doing an honest job and to feel a bit of life without fear and constantly looking behind his back, whether he will be chased by the police or some rival criminal group...
And me?
I had continued education. Then, one job. Then girl. Then, the car. Then, training. Then, another job. Then, travel. So progress at work. Then, jewelry and an apartment... And an honest life.
A life I wouldn't trade for the one he offered me more than 30 years ago.
During this "honest" time of mine, little by little, I acquired as much as I could and everything I have now was honestly earned.
It may not be piles of money, but "A coin to a coin, a mountain" says the old proverb.
And knowing that it was earned through honest and hard work, each coin shines even brighter.
