"The ability to deal with people is as purchasable a commodity as sugar or coffee, and it is worth more than any other commodity under the sun."
The above quotation insinuates that anyone can obtain the ability to deal with people, likely through courses and training. In addition, the quotation also claims that this skill is the most valuable commodity that exists. Although I believe that the ability to deal with people can be taught and is valuable I believe the author overstates the ease with which it can be obtained as well as its value.
I do not believe that learning to deal with people is as easy as going to the store to by sugar. In fact, it can be quite time consuming and costly. First of all, it is necessary to find a qualified person who can teach this skill and it is not clear who would be the best suited to teach this skill. A communication specialist could teach how to communicate with different types of people but this is only one aspect of dealing with people. An education advisor can teach how to use different methods to get people to listen and learn. Without having a better idea of what means by developing their ability to deal with people it could be quite difficult to find a qualified instructor. Secondly, it can take many years to develop the skills to deal with people. Take an elementary school teacher, they have to deal with children all day and have taken at least 2-3 years of university level training to do so. It is not a 5 minute tutorial like what would be required to teach someone to buy sugar, learning to deal with people takes years of training and building up experience. Therefore obtaining the ability to deal with people can be quite costly, not only in the financial sense but also in the sense of time.
Not only can it be difficult to find the qualified instructor and the time to learn how to deal with people but the quotation also implies that anyone can learn which is not necessarily true. I do not believe that everyone is able to deal with people. Dealing with people requires patience, creativity, listening skills, communication skills and many other features that not everyone possesses nor can they learn them. It is not uncommon to come into contact with a person who cannot deal with people such as a recluse or someone who is incredibly shy. It is likely over their lives people have attempted to teach them certain skills to better deal with people but they have not managed to learn them. Not everyone can master everything, it is human nature to have certain areas in which we thrive and certain in which we fail. Therefore it is nonsensical to assume everyone has the capacity to develop an ability to deal with people.
The value that the quotation attributes to the ability to deal with people is debateable. Although I don't disagree that it has a value I would not go so far as to say it is the most valuable thing in the world. For certain people who lives and happiness depend on dealing with people for example therapists will probably give a higher value to their ability to deal with people than say someone who does not need or use the skill like a recluse garbage man. It is uncommon to hear in interviews that the thing people most value in their life is their ability to deal with people, most times it is their family or friends, or their jobs. Personally I would value the trait of kindness more than the ability to deal with people.
Based on the reasoning above, it should be clear that the quotation grossly overstates the ease of obtaining and the value of the ability to deal with people. Although I do not disagree that it is important for people to strive to develop skills to deal with people and that this can enrich their lives, I do not believe that in order to be content it is necessary. I feel that each person will see value in this trait depending on his or her personality and job but it need not be the same value for everyone.
The above quotation insinuates that anyone can obtain the ability to deal with people, likely through courses and training. In addition, the quotation also claims that this skill is the most valuable commodity that exists. Although I believe that the ability to deal with people can be taught and is valuable I believe the author overstates the ease with which it can be obtained as well as its value.
I do not believe that learning to deal with people is as easy as going to the store to by sugar. In fact, it can be quite time consuming and costly. First of all, it is necessary to find a qualified person who can teach this skill and it is not clear who would be the best suited to teach this skill. A communication specialist could teach how to communicate with different types of people but this is only one aspect of dealing with people. An education advisor can teach how to use different methods to get people to listen and learn. Without having a better idea of what means by developing their ability to deal with people it could be quite difficult to find a qualified instructor. Secondly, it can take many years to develop the skills to deal with people. Take an elementary school teacher, they have to deal with children all day and have taken at least 2-3 years of university level training to do so. It is not a 5 minute tutorial like what would be required to teach someone to buy sugar, learning to deal with people takes years of training and building up experience. Therefore obtaining the ability to deal with people can be quite costly, not only in the financial sense but also in the sense of time.
Not only can it be difficult to find the qualified instructor and the time to learn how to deal with people but the quotation also implies that anyone can learn which is not necessarily true. I do not believe that everyone is able to deal with people. Dealing with people requires patience, creativity, listening skills, communication skills and many other features that not everyone possesses nor can they learn them. It is not uncommon to come into contact with a person who cannot deal with people such as a recluse or someone who is incredibly shy. It is likely over their lives people have attempted to teach them certain skills to better deal with people but they have not managed to learn them. Not everyone can master everything, it is human nature to have certain areas in which we thrive and certain in which we fail. Therefore it is nonsensical to assume everyone has the capacity to develop an ability to deal with people.
The value that the quotation attributes to the ability to deal with people is debateable. Although I don't disagree that it has a value I would not go so far as to say it is the most valuable thing in the world. For certain people who lives and happiness depend on dealing with people for example therapists will probably give a higher value to their ability to deal with people than say someone who does not need or use the skill like a recluse garbage man. It is uncommon to hear in interviews that the thing people most value in their life is their ability to deal with people, most times it is their family or friends, or their jobs. Personally I would value the trait of kindness more than the ability to deal with people.
Based on the reasoning above, it should be clear that the quotation grossly overstates the ease of obtaining and the value of the ability to deal with people. Although I do not disagree that it is important for people to strive to develop skills to deal with people and that this can enrich their lives, I do not believe that in order to be content it is necessary. I feel that each person will see value in this trait depending on his or her personality and job but it need not be the same value for everyone.
