Chapter 1119: Verbal Sparring

"First bitter, then sweet," Hastings simply put down the cup, as if chewing on this sentence for a while, "I have heard this sentence from you before, but I have never understood why the premise of sweetness must be bitter?"

"Why must it be bitter first? Why can't it be sweet all the time?" Hastings continued to ask.

Feng Yiping was calm and tried to brew the next round of brewing with style. In fact, he was taking the opportunity to think about how to answer, and his mind was turning quickly.

It is normal for Hastings to ask such a question. The so-called cultural differences between the East and the West are actually reflected in the current understanding of these similar issues.

But for Feng Yiping, when he said that sentence, he felt that Hastings should understand the main meaning of his sentence.

So he never thought that Hastings would interpret this sentence from this perspective, because this should be a sentence that is familiar and recognized by the majority of Chinese people. At least before, he had never heard anyone question it in this way.

But it seems to be right. Why must it be bitter first before it can be sweet? Could it be that we are all masochists?

Why do I feel that this is so much like a brain teaser?

However, he felt that such a scene was very familiar.

It was because parents have experienced too many such moments.

When children grow up, develop independent personalities, and take the initiative to observe the world, they will question many things that parents think are natural, such as "Why is there the sun in the sky?" "Why do birds fly in the sky?" "Why do people have to grow old?" Or, "Why are mom's grandma so big, but dad's grandma so small?"... and so on.

Therefore, a serious and responsible parent will often encounter similar brain teasers.

Moreover, when explaining, it is always a headache. If you explain it too deeply, the child will not understand. If you explain it too shallowly, he will not be satisfied.

"Try it again," Feng Yiping picked up the cup again.

Hastings drank it all without saying a word, and did not comment on the taste of this cup. He still looked at Feng Yiping, obviously waiting for his answer.

"Hastings, maybe you should have heard of another question, which came first, the chicken or the egg?" Feng Yiping, a good Chinese dad, said patiently.

"Our Eastern culture, specifically, the characteristics of Chinese culture, has always been good at looking at problems from a general perspective, emphasizing cycles and transformations, which belong to abstract thinking and perceptual thinking,"

"In the West, people pay more attention to starting from the material world to explore and verify the essence of the problem, focusing on logical thinking and rational thinking,"

"From our perspective, many things that seem to be opposite or causally related, such as light and darkness, chickens and eggs, bitterness and sweetness, can actually transform into each other and be harmoniously unified,"

Hastings looked like he understood, not really, well, he might not understand at all.

Or he talked too deeply.

It's true that good times are hard to come again, and it's hard to find a soulmate again. Feng Yiping suddenly felt a little bit sad.

"Specifically speaking, we can understand this sentence like this. Although it is difficult at present, we will definitely achieve success in the future,"

Hastings completely understood this sentence.

He was a little embarrassed to look at Feng Yiping again. Yes, Feng Yiping must be clear about the situation he and Netflix are facing now.

"Because bitterness and sweetness are relative, slightly sweet is actually close to bitterness compared to very sweetness, so this sentence can also be interpreted in this way. If the current situation continues, the achievements in the future will also be bitter compared to another possibility."

What is the other possibility? Naturally, it is the possibility I have been telling you, the blue ocean.

Feng Yiping raised the glass again, "Do you feel less bitter now?"

Hastings was full of dissatisfaction and drank it all in one gulp again. He "coughed" and completely ignored Feng Yiping's questioning, "Feng, do you know? Although I have never met you before, I actually admire you very much."

Appreciation? Don't think I can't hear that you are taking advantage of me, old man. In the business world, at present, I am more successful than you. Don't put on the airs of a senior.

"Haha, Buchanan has told you in person about my appreciation for you," Feng Yiping said with a smile.

Sometimes, you just have to confront each other head-on and not give in.

Hastings coughed again. Didn't he say that Feng Yiping was a "modest gentleman"? How could he tell from this?

"What I want to say is that I admire you very much," he finally stopped using the word "admire", "I admire your behavior of staying in college and persisting in learning when you are very successful in academics and business,"

"In this impatient and utilitarian era, this is a rare thing," he said, "In fact, I am the same as you, you know, my first business venture was very successful,"

Feng Yiping did know that his first business venture was indeed very successful. The company he founded at that time was successfully listed in 1995, and it was one of the most successful companies in the US stock market in 1995.

"What you may not know is that after I sold that company two years later, I returned to my alma mater, Stanford University, to study again for 6 months, studying education policy, political science, and national capital,"

Feng Yiping really didn't know that it was rare for him to do this. You know, he was already 37 years old at that time and he could go back to school to study. And it was not the business school that was popular among various bosses in China later, which was mainly for gilding or expanding the circle.

"I especially can't stand those who advocate dropping out of school to start a business. Humph, where are there so many geniuses? Even if they have unique talents in technology, will they be equally good in management?"

"Being able to realize your own shortcomings and being able to pragmatically admit your shortcomings, I think we are the same in this regard,"

This buddy knows how to chat!

You can understand that he is praising Feng Yiping by saying so much, but isn't he praising himself by saying these?

"In other things, I am also very pragmatic,"

Feng Yiping didn't say anything, just quietly watched him pretend... no, watched him speak

"Personally, I care more about the value of the company than my personal interests. There may be some things you don't know. When I started my first business, I actually asked the board of directors to find someone to replace me more than once. I hoped to fire myself more than once because I felt that I was not suitable to be the CEO."

Feng Yiping had heard of this. At that time, Hastings, like Page before, wanted to see himself as an engineer. He had made similar proposals. Of course, the reason was not as simple, selfless, and noble as he said.

He now selectively picked this point out, naturally to show off himself.

Since he said so, Feng Yiping decided to tell the truth, "Hastings, in fact, from a very early time, I did business not to make money, or to make money for myself,"

After listening to Feng Yiping's words and looking at his pure eyes like a baby at this time, Hastings was stunned for a moment and didn't know how to respond for a while.

It is true that there are mountains outside the mountains and there are heavens outside the heavens. One is more capable than the other!

He then laughed dryly, "Feng, I admire you very much, um," he slipped out of the word again, and he immediately made up for it, "I admire your business vision very much, but from the current point of view, I insist on believing that my decision is the most beneficial to Netflix's development. Netflix's progress and growth over the years have also strongly proved this point, right?"

Feng Yiping did not immediately continue his words, "Hastings, there is actually another point that we are the same. We have a saying in China that great minds think alike,"

"You have to admit that we are highly consistent in our views on some things, such as Redbox, right? We have already negotiated the acquisition plan, and you and Netflix also think that Redbox is a good partner,"

Hastings could only laugh dryly again, because whether from a subjective or objective point of view, Netflix's disruption was causing trouble for Feng Yiping and NEXTDOOR, which was brought up in person by him, and it was a bit embarrassing.

"Feng, you should know that it is the company's behavior,"

"Well, I can understand, Hastings, don't get me wrong. The point of what I said about this matter is not the reason you are worried about. My point is that before I proposed to cooperate with Redbox, you did not realize that it was an opportunity. You have to admit this, right?"

"Of course, you can think so," Hastings said.

"Similarly, I believe that on other issues, sometimes it is the same, for example, you think Blockbuster is an outdated model and company, and Netflix's current model is the best, but for me, Netflix's current model, although it is a necessary stage, is also not good, and is also an outdated model,"

"For the development of this industry, only the direction I think is the most correct direction,"

"Of course, you can completely not think so now," Feng Yiping drank another cup of tea and praised, "It's getting sweeter and sweeter, you try it?"

Hastings did not move. He now hates the tea that Feng Yiping always uses to refer to, although it feels really sweet.

"Oh, let me go back to what I said just now, but in the end you will definitely admit that my approach is the best, but by then, just like Redbox, you will find that you also have no chance,"

Hastings' face is a little dark now.

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