Are You Winning the Moron Olympics?

It may sound simplistic, but I honestly believe your health, happiness, and prosperity in life is determined by what societal games you choose to play.  Whether you want to buy a new car, earn a college degree, or get your kid to eat broccoli, there are games that must be played.  The vital part of the equation is how mindful you are about the games you’re willing to play.

The Winter Olympics begin in days, but there are two other global sporting competitions already well underway.  These are the Moron Olympics and the Prosperity Olympics.  Predictably, my last “Friday Filosophy” newsletter featuring one of the events in the Moron Olympics rattled some molars, with visceral reactions ranging from, “Randy this is the most insightful essay you’ve ever written,” to “Fuck you Gage, you don’t know me!”

If you’re one of the tragic, god-forsaken souls who doesn’t subscribe to my newsletter, here’s the quick summary: There are millions of people who spend literally hours every day, shit scrolling through social media, searching for cases of people who disagree with them on an issue, doing some kind of stupid shit. (Because no matter what side of any issue you are on, there are cases of extreme people acting ridiculously on the other side.)

For example, if they’re an anti-masker they’ll find a post with some dimwit wearing a mask in a swimming pool.  If they’re a masker, they’ll find a post of some idiot keeping a French fry in his mouth for an entire 4-hour airplane flight to avoid wearing a mask. Then they repost the stupid shit with their snarky comments, clever putdowns, and witty rejoinders attached.

This provides emotional payoff in four ways…

• Finding someone dumber than they are assuages some of their insecurity issues.
• They get to ridicule someone on the other side of the bitter political divide, which makes them feel powerful.
• The posts get likes and shares, providing them with attention.
• They believe they’re signaling how virtuous and clever they are.

The “reposting stupid shit” competition is only one of many events in the Moron Olympics.  Some of the other competitions include trying to cancel someone whose ideas scare you, inciting the most jealousy with your vacation pix, and the most popular, the let me show you how virtuous I am all-around.

The insidious part about winning medals in competitions like these is the rabbit hole of negative energy, narcissism, and hate you inevitably get sucked down.  Winning the Moron Olympics makes you a Moron.

If you want to compete in the Prosperity Olympics, the medals are a lot harder to achieve...

Want to find your true soulmate?  That’s going to require playing the dating game and becoming more empathetic, caring, and loving.  To advance your career requires some time playing the develop new skills/make yourself more valuable game.  If you want to raise your kids to become good people – that is going to mean playing thousands of different games, with the rules changing constantly over many years.  Games like these are difficult to win, but if you do reach the medal podium, the years of training, dedication, and perseverance are worth it.  Which events are you training for?

Peace,

- RG

P.S. to podcast peeps, a new show is up: From Broke to Bounty.

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