Articles

It’s Impossible to Learn a New Language After 40

Warning: Don’t believe everything you hear!

-Often, excuses come disguised as popular wisdom. Every culture has a set of oft-repeated sayings that provide off-the-cuff responses for almost any type of misfortune. We accept these ‘bits of wisdom’ as inherent truths because after all, “If everyone is saying it….”

Unfortunately, the sayings nearest and dearest to us, those passed on through generations, have also culturally conditioned us to accept mediocrity as the norm.

Hispanics regularly use a plethora of humorous, ironic, bitter or sweet proverbs. “Seemingly innocent sayings significantly influence our perception of our ability to effect change in our lives,” says Dr. Camilo Cruz author of La Vaca (Once Upon a Cow), a new book that reveals specific strategies for eliminating excuses, fears, and false beliefs that keep people from getting what they really want out of life.

“Five of the most common sayings are probably the most dangerous,” says Dr. Cruz. Sayings, like other “crutches,” are the focus of La Vaca, a metaphor in which one unfortunate cow symbolizes every habit, justification, or pretext that keeps people tied to mediocrity. The book provides guidance on how to “kill-off your cows” and avoid being the unintentional recipient of inherited, gifted, or disguised cows.

Five sayings to avoid:

-- You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
-- Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
-- The devil you know is better than the angel you don’t.
-- It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s playing the game that counts.
-- Poor, but honest.

“Are you kidding?” says Dr. Cruz, “If you believe that you’re too old, that you have to accept whatever you get, or that sticking with a familiar evil is better than taking a chance on a new opportunity, then you’re stuck.” The La Vaca book tour is taking this message to Hispanic communities throughout the US in 2004.

Over 300,000 people have already read La Vaca, which was originally released as an e-book on http://www.elexito.com. Almost 200 people arrived at the latest stops on the tour at two Florida BORDERS, to get their copy of the book and to contribute to Camilo’s “revolution of readers.”

Participants wanting to hear the buzz about a cow also took part in another compelling message of the tour. Increasing attendance at events like these goes one step further in proving to media and booksellers that Hispanics read. They read personal development titles and they buy the books they want to read in small bookstores and in large chains throughout the country.

It’s just like all our favorite sayings. The fact that they’re repeated by presidents and parents makes people accept the premises as sacrosanct without questioning their validity or impact. “Hispanics don’t read” shouldn’t become a self-fulfilling prophecy, just because an industry spokesperson uses it to justify the lack of Spanish-language titles in bookstores or libraries.

Don’t believe everything you hear - maintain a completely “cow-free” zone.

Source: LA VACA (Once Upon a Cow)/Dr. Camilo Cruz
ISBN 1-931059-63-2

Source: Hispanic PR Wire