It's Not What You Know...
The expression, "It's not what you know, it's who you know," has become increasingly integral to Jewish life. People in the Jewish community live by who they know.I know someone who never has to pay full price for anything, never has to wait in line anywhere, and all that, because he has "connections." The guy is a complete loser. He never worked hard in school, because he had "connections" and he'll bother a guy until he gets his way, and refuses to put out any effort, because he knows he'll get what he wants with his connections.
I think the whole concept of having "connections" is really loserish. Ya gotta know this guy and that guy...what's the big deal? Why not do something legit? I think they really feel cool when they tell people, "Yeah, I know the owner of every pizza shop in Brooklyn, so I get the first pie after Pesach...." Yeah, so?
Another thing about who ya know, is that it's a major topic of conversation. People are always trying to find a mutual acquaintance with someone they meet. Who the hell cares if Rivky knows Malkie who knows Leah who knows me? So, okay, now that I know someone you know through someone else, we can be best friends? How does knowing someone create common ground? So then you start talking about her, "Oh, yeah, she's actually not frum anymore, and she's on drugs..." it leads to completely unproductive conversation to say the least.
Why don't you try to see if you come from the same neighborhood? Went to the same school? Read the same book? But people?
posted by Michelle @ 12:07 PM
4 Comments:
True, true. Then there's the issue of people who don't "have connections" What about the people who are on their own-shouldn't they also get into schools of their choices on their own merit or to find a decent shidduch?
My sister is in Pre1A in a Bais Yaakov school that people consider to be hard to get into. People ask my parents all the time, "So nu..what's your pull?" ATTN People: Maybe we were lucky, did you ever think that we just applied to the school, had an interview and were accepted because the administration thought we were worthy?!
The Yeshivishe velt for some reason finds such a concept hard to comprehend. Which all of course leads to, why can't you be happy for me anyway? But that's another issue entirely.
--MS
I agree with your first point, disagree with your second.
Yes, it is loserish and a chillul Hashem to bug the heck out of people just to get what you want. I'm surprised these people don't get slapped, but as you allude to, it's so part of the community that they consider you a lemachel if you're not like that.
I disagree about the second part. Many friendships have been formed on the basis of a mutual friend. Besides, it shows the beauty of the frum community that we're so close-knit.
I love playing Jewish geography. It's so much fun! Did you know that there was a study done & they found that in the general world(meaning not just Jewish people)it takes 7 people, each person who knows the next, to get to the original person? I read it in my statistics book.
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