Alec Hogg: Saving heartache by considering the greener grass paradox

By Alec Hogg

What is it about human beings that makes us believe the grass is greener on the other side of our fence?

Over the years I've seen otherwise rational people get into an emotional tailspin over something so far out of their control it might as well be happening on the moon. In severe cases, they sell their possessions, pluck children away from friends and pack entire families off to places that will surely provide a much better life. But rarely does.

The Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, reckons the most important decision we ever make is selecting who to marry. Second to that, surely, must be where to put down roots. SA's high divorce rate suggests we have room for improvement on the first score. On the second one, simply considering the green grass paradox would save much heartache.

Response from Geoff Penny

About 20 years back I was engaged in a then very heavy and sensitive discussion with a few fellow board members of one of those "tripartheid" companies of the 1990s. Two of them were academics from the University of the North. We discussed emigration and I was really surprised and impressed by the views of the two fine gentlemen (black I know, professors I recall) who could easily have found better prospects elsewhere. The profound statement echoed by both was: "The grass might be greener on the other side, but there might not be too much grass!"

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