God Dang!
Last week I wrote about my road trip through the most dangerous city in America. While I came out of it whistling Dixie, I didn’t realise the violence that would be waiting in my inbox this week:
“You know what I really hate? When Australians try to make themselves feel better about their boring, rotten country that is too scared to leave the monarchy, by insulting the US.”
“I’d rather drive a Mustang than a Holden. Do they even make any cars in Australia anymore?”
“I can only hope this crap you’ve written was in fact deep-fake Scott Pape.”
“No one gives a rodent’s rectum about your political views. They are an abuse of the platform you have developed.”
“Is your goal to get a safe Labor Party seat?”
(I’ve been labelled a radical lefty, a right-wing nut, and a gun-toting country hick – which is probably the closest.)
And these were the slightly nicer ‘PG’ responses I could publish. The worst emails I got this week were actually threats designed to make me ‘rethink’ my political views.
But don’t cry for me, Arkansas.
I’ve been writing this column for 21 years, and I’ve copped more curry than an Indian chef:
Industry super funds hate it when I question them about their expensive fees, their empire-building, and their aggressive valuations on unlisted investments.
Insurance companies don’t like what I’ve written about their rubbish policies and their price-gouging.
And the banks … well, let’s just say to this day I still have nightmares about the Dollarmites mascots murdering me in my sleep!
Anyway, my mother always says “You can’t please everyone”.
That’s true but, in the classic mum sense, it’s a way of sugarcoating the truth:
The fact is, if you’re out there trying to make a difference, you’re going to piss a lot of people off (especially rich people and companies who have an army of lawyers who threaten to sue … which happens more than you think).
Yet my job isn’t to kowtow to yanks (or cranks), to fluff up my social media (don’t use it), or build my brand (whatever that means). Truth be told, I never got into this game to be popular … which turned out to be a very wise decision!
Tread Your Own Path!