Ah, the joys of egotistical know-it-alls just keep coming.
I recognize that there’s a perverseness in finding joy in other people’s mistakes and bad writing. However, the only time I really do something about these mistakes and bad writing is when someone or some organization has set himself, herself, or itself up as an authority. If you’re an author, a publisher, a dictionary website, a self-proclaimed expert in sales, marketing, and/or entrepreneurship, then you need to watch out, especially if you want me or anyone else to pay to sit at your feet and soak up your wisdom.
I met just such a know-it-all last month at a conference and then again last week. I think he’d win the “Sloppy Entrepreneur” award of the year if there was such a thing. His writing is the subject of my 10-Question Quiz and my “When is ‘good enough’ good enough” post, and, like all these people, he’s besieging me with vaguely threatening emails about the consequences of not taking him up on the amazing (excuse me, “awesome”) opportunity he’s offering me (for $1000+ a year).
Here’s how this afternoon’s email from him starts:
I just read this quote from a book I’m reading:
“The moment you say ‘I know evertyhing’ is the end of your growth.”
And frankly, it got me a bit concerned about your business growth…
You know what, bud, don’t be concerned about my business; with that kind of sloppy writing, you have plenty to say grace over about yours!
There was also this little gem in the same email:
Can you really afford NOT to be aligned with these type of people and this type of proprietary, advanced training each and every month?
And this sentence, with two punctuation mistakes and questionable use of underlining:
Remember, this was a “one-time-only”, deeply-discounted opportunity for being at the event in person.
Keep your money in your pocket! Can you really afford to be aligned with this type of sleazy, sloppy person? No, no, a thousand times NO!
What’s with these arrogant jerks?
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