Well I hold the gentleman with the carrot in the highest esteem but I'm afraid he suffers from two character traits that will always hold him back. 1)He appears to think nobody tells the truth and 2)nothing that has not been done CAN be done.
No doubt he considers me a little too credulous for my own good, so we're even.
I think you've phrased the long version of my business philosophy. People will act in their own best interests. The key is to figure out what the other guy's best interest IS.