Students in free enterprise
http://WWW.SIFE.ORG

Is a multinational diverse place for students and young enterprenuers in various counties to come together to help each other out and learn about various business local opportunities and act as a business network for each other.

regarding business,

All buinesses are run on the same basic premise ie you buy cheap and sell high to make a profit. There is no company (even if its Shell or Microsot or Dangote cement) that is out there that is doing what you cant do believe it or not. The only thing is you dont have the skill to make the product or provide the services they provide.

You can get the needed skill by by learning on the job, learning in class, employing/paying people with the skill, asking questions and doing a little trial and error here and there to learn from you mistakes. being serious, focused and dedicated about what you want to achieve. Eliminating people who are negative about your plans around you.

Hello again, Mr Tepede,

I did mention in my first comment that I am in agreement with the idea behind your post. I made that clear, so its not a question of perspective. We are agreed as far as the business side of creativity is concerned.

But I also made it clear that where I have issues is the fact that:
1. You paraphrased a verse of Scripture to say what it clearly does NOT say
2. You attempted to use this faulty paraphrase to validate what is essentially a good idea

Point (1) above naturally creates problems and introduces new shades to the picture, which may explain why we drifted from the primary point. Some of these shades include Simi Ajayi's stand (which is quite valid), and my references to covetousness, as you put it, among others.

For me, as someone who has seen the damage done by the improper interpretation and application of Scriptures, I just couldn't let your paraphrase pass unchallenged. I'm sorry again if I seem to be a pest. I'll let it drop here, as I believe my point is made.

Beyond that, again, I stand with you that creativity and financial returns are not mutually exclusive. Its been engaging discussing this with you.

Hi Mr Yomi,

I think we are having perspective issues here;

I never said being wealthy means being wise; I am advocating commercializing your innate skills and my submissions are very clear (or so I thought).

There are a lot of poor wise men around that is my motive for writing this post so this poor wise men can add another skill called commerce (or sales).

I had to re-read this post to see where you are missing my point but I can not see where.

You keep on saying things like covetousness when I am interested in things like greatness and influence. i think we have different lenses...

By the way, Simi Ajayi has a valid point there. There are those who choose to contribute their talents, skills and abilities to a cause. Such people do derive more fulfilment than financial returns can give.

I know a few people who teach just for the love of it. They accept little pay in order to be able to impart vital knowledge to the next generation. There are unpaid and little paid missionaries, musicians, teachers, artists and artistes all over the world who chose their vocations based on love and commitment to higher values.

Unfortunately, in a world where almost everything is generally evaluated in terms of how much money an individual makes or has, most of those people are un-noticed, unappreciated and unsung. But their contributions to life and society (and sometimes eternity) are worth much more than what silver or gold can adequately measure.

Jesus Christ said: «Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth» (Luke 12:15).

Those who choose to offer their services without the primary motive of financial gain are not less valuable or less wise than those who are in it for the money.

Even if you take the words «merchandice» and «gain» literally, your paraphrase would be partly right; not even 100% correct. Partly right because your paraphrase also presents a statement that is Biblically unsound, faulty and hence false: «Wisdom is not better than money».

There is nothing in the original verse to remotely suggest this. Again, several Scriptures knock this very statement off:

- wisdom is better than rubies (Prov. 8:11)
- How much better is it to get wisdom than gold (Prov. 16:16)

But as pointed out already, taking a literal interpretation of the words «merchandice» and «gain» in the context puts your conclusions (paraphrase) at variance with what the rest of Scriptures teach.

Maybe it would be okay for us to backup a little and you explain what you mean by the «commercial value of wisdom». Does that mean that wisdom should necessarilly produce commercial gain, as your explanation in the last post seems to suggest? That's what it would mean if you take the literal approach with this verse.

The consequense of your position is that it should be impossible to have a poor wise man in the first place. His wisdom (with its commercial value) would of necessitty have made him rich. Yet, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and other verses of the Bible make it clear that wisdom does not necessarilly translate into commercial gain.

Looking forward to discussing this further, if you don't mind. However, I am not out to spoil your post, and would appreciate you letting me know if and when you feel a continuation of this debate would detract from what you set out to achieve. Do stay blessed.

Hi Mr Yomi,

STRONG'S Exhaustive Concordance of the KJV bible describes the hebrew word for Merchandise as used in Proverbs 3: 13-15 as cachar which translates to profit (from trade).

Thank you very much, Mr Yomi for making me think things through...

@Dipo: While I agree with you on the issue of the business angle being important in the pursuit of creativity, I must disagree with your paraphrase of the Bible verse you used in an attempt to give credibility to your submission.

Your paraphrase reads: “Wisdom is not better than money; it is the commercial value of wisdom that is better”

The KJV says: Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. The words «merchandise» and «gain» as used here are not a literal reference to commerce. The context conveys the concept of results.

Thus an accurate paraphrase of that verse would read: Happy is the man who finds wisdom, The man who gets understanding. For her good profit is better than getting silver, And her return is better than fine gold. (note the emphasis).

No; the Bible does NOT say that the advantage of wisdom is its commercial value. If that were so, all rich men would be wise men and all poor men would be foolish men. But we know otherwise; don't we? As a matter of fact, the Bible says: Now there was found in (a city) a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man (Ecclesiastes 9:15). The exercise or possession of wisdom may or may not result in greater financial/commercial/material results.

Beyond that score on interpretation of Scriptures, yes; creative people need to look at the business side of what they do. It is pretty much like the web developer who cranks out a website that is functional and measures up to all standards, but cannot figure out how to make any money from the site. In all probability he loves what he does but will also likely starve for doing what he loves.

Cheers!

@ Simi Ajayi

Thanx for your comments.

Art for art's sake? I believe that's what Iam kicking against.

Well. it is my opinion that every artist love his art more than money even the businessman loves the art of business more than the money. It's not about the money but the value that is accrued to the art. Most times the value is translated to money........

i'd like to point out to the writer of this article that some artistes (like me) are of the opinion that there is a concept called 'art for art's sake'. What that means in english is that the artiste idulges himself in his art simply for the pleasure of it. This artist maintains that he enjoys his art and even though he would not mind to make some money off it... money is actually the least (believe it or not) of rewards he gets from his art.