I came across this story on Time.com, and I found it amusing. This was quoted as a sarcastic analogy for Israelis and Palestinians’ peace agreement. But I feel this mentality in the business world all the time. I also wonder if guys use this tactics when they tell their girlfriends that “yeah, we’ll settle down and get married in a year.”

Once, long ago in Russia, a Baron decided to expel all the Jewish peasants from his estate. The peasants pleaded with the Baron, but he sat there bored, petting his favorite wolfhound. After a few minutes, he waved them away. Just as they were leaving, a rabbi who had noticed how fond the Baron was of his wolfhound, said: “You know, we’re very talented at making dogs speak.” Intrigued, the Baron allowed the Jews to stay on for a year, to teach his dog how to talk. Outside the Baron’s castle, the Jews wailed: “Rabbi, how can you make such a promise? We’re doomed!” The Rabbi replied with a shrug, “Anything can happen in a year. The dog could die. Or the Baron could die. Who can tell?”