Rocket Rule #7

Information is Power



This should not come as a surprise to anyone born after 1980, but information is indeed power. Although owning a sword may seem powerful, it probably just means you like Braveheart too much, or frequent a few too many medieval fairs. And in case you were asking yourself "What exactly constitutes 'too many medieval fairs,' Rocket?" I will tell you. The answer is one. One is too many Having lots of money may seem powerful, but in the end you will lose that money to someone who is more informed than you. Or, in many cases, someone more alive than you. Information, in our world of information superhighways and fiber-optic cruises, is the most powerful thing you can own.



This fact, of course, is why I am so very particular about who I share my own personal information with. You may know by now that I do not generally share my given first name. Ever. Not even with my parents. So imagine my surprise the other day when I was in a local "box retailer" (not a place that sells boxes, mind you, but a store shaped like a box) and I was entered in to a "competition" to win discounts and such from the store. Their method of entry? Signing up for their particular store's credit card. Now you may think, "Rocket! Of course you didn't do that! Of course you didn't! Didn't you?" The answer is that I did. Because I wanted to win. I always want to win. However, in those situations where I am forced to share personal information, I have a very important rule that I want to share with you, my dedicated followers.



Always take more personal information than you give.



Sometimes you are forced to give information. You have no choice. However, if information is power, you want to walk away taking more power than you've given. Let me use the above situation as an example.



I was being helped at my computer station by a very pushy sales person who refused to give me a straight answer about how my information would be used. Thus, when she asked me things like, "What's your address," and "What is your annual income?" I began to ask her questions like, "Are you married," and "How many, if any, puppies do you own at any given time." Of course she was slightly taken aback, but seemed dedicated to making this transaction work. So I walked away with a name, address, and consumer profile of my contest worker. How did I pull this off? I am the Rocket. That's how. In fact this is not the first time I have pulled this off.



So I walked away feeling more powerful, yet kind of annoyed because an unwanted Mastercard is heading my way in the mail. But I'll just get Wendel, my P.A.T. to take care of that situation when it arises. But little do these contest mongers know that one day, they will begin receiving mail from the Rocket. Perhaps it will be advertising my new line of cosmetics. Maybe my new collection of old 70's music will come calling. I may just send a lovely Christmas card. Nonetheless, they will get more mail than they ever caused me to receive, and thus, I will win.



And I always win.