Chapter 83: You Think You’re Smart Enough? Hopefully!

The entertainment industry, especially show business, will not only become the most profitable sector in the future but also a place where many gain significant influence.

The Federation is a strange country — with enough influence, a cat, a dog, a horse, or even a pig can run for president.

Of course, if they can afford the expensive campaign fees, they might even win.

The election of the Federation’s president is closely tied to the people’s vote. According to the Baylor Federation Charter and election laws, any resident with a formal job has a vote.

Yes, it is not a typo. The Baylor Federation currently has over a hundred animal citizens. This isn’t exactly a miracle but can be considered one—the miracle of the generosity of their owners and wealth.

The miracle is that if their owners are generous enough, someone will handle the citizenship issues for these pets. They can even work—for example, some dogs participate in film productions. (This is literal, not metaphorical or derogatory.)

A politician wanting to realize personal ambitions must first be recognized by the public to get their votes.

Some choose acting first. Several senators and state legislators were actors or opera singers before entering politics.

First, a politician must be known, speak to the public, and gain trust. Nothing spreads recognition faster than becoming a star.

No one can remember every mayor’s name in the Federation’s seventeen states, but many can name every popular actor in recent years, how many movies they made, box office numbers, scandals, favorite perfume brands, underwear brands, and more.

Starting in entertainment and then entering politics is a proven path, though it’s less effective in northern states where people prefer more traditional leaders and dislike actors as rulers.

But in the South, it works well. People there are more open and progressive toward novelty.

Even actors without political ambitions can have politicians eager to maintain good relations with them and film companies, since entertainment is a huge income source and an important channel for spreading political ideas.

Running entertainment is not just about money; it also brings unexpected benefits like friendships and agents.

If Mr. Fox isn’t interested in investing in entertainment, Lynch plans to start his own entertainment company. Luckily, Mr. Fox is an interesting person and a good friend.

After briefly agreeing on the next steps, the three men — mainly the Fox father and son — shifted focus from new investments to Lynch’s secondhand goods auction.

When Mr. Fox entered, he had a rolled-up flyer that he handed to young Fox, then to Lynch.

“Lynch, I’m curious, won’t this lose money?”

The flyer promoted the largest and most comprehensive secondhand goods auction market in the state — a key point for Mr. Fox.

After selling mortgaged goods to Lynch, Mr. Fox got a large sum to cover bank interest. His need for cash eased, and once the first loan entered the harvesting phase, money would circulate on its own.

He wondered how Lynch sold hard-to-move goods. He wanted to ask but found flyers being handed out along the way.

His question referred to a prominent note on the flyer: the first entrants could claim a free leather belt after the auction.

Although synthetic leather exists, its high price far exceeds cheap real leather belts. It’s absurd but real — trendy new things always have prices disconnected from their actual value. Those prices may fall later, but that’s for the future.

A thousand leather belts cost at least five Sol each — that’s five thousand Sol just for belts. With venue rental and other expenses, the auction might cost 20,000 to 30,000 Sol to hold.

They were curious whether Lynch could sell the goods and how much.

Lynch glanced at the flyer, nodded, and was pleased with the design—his suggestion to Richard.

The front showed two main things: auction time and place with bold promotional slogans, and a big, colorful note about the free belt.

The back listed auction procedures and a catalog featuring eye-catching items.

Richard initially wanted the flyer very detailed, but Lynch rejected it.

This isn’t Richard’s fault; it reflects the era’s limitations — no big data, poor information flow, and a simpler time where productivity couldn’t fully meet life’s needs.

People focused more on practicality, retaining a kind of naïveté. Sometimes this naïveté is used as an insult.

So Lynch chose a blunt, straightforward flyer not to inform but as a filter.

It serves as a strong filter:

First, those who get the flyer and still come to the auction aren’t in severe financial trouble. They have potential consumption desire and can spare a day to attend instead of job hunting.

Second, bargain hunters become the main target — like Mr. Fox’s initial focus on the free belt.

People financially stable but prone to small temptations tend to be impulsive and irrational buyers.

If prices are low enough, even non-essential items get bought on a whim.

Third, the back shows trendy items, many new and still priced high.

Seeing big discounts (50-60%) makes people think “I won’t buy, just looking.”

After these three filters, Lynch’s core customers emerge — his key wealth source.

Earlier, Lynch chatted with a notable telecom worker who explained why some scams seem childish but trap people for life.

The man said, “When you find some info childish, it’s not you being smart—it’s because they filtered you out.”

“You’re not that smart; you just lack the value to be scammed. That’s all.”