Try to break through the basic preconception that life requires winners and losers and you will see people completely lose their shit.
It's like you hit them with a high voltage wire.
It's like you hit them with a high voltage wire.
Lots of people - lots and LOTS of people - can't drop the idea that their success depends on someone else's failure, even though that's really not true.
It's compounded by the idea of the "loser" either being some faceless, nameless other, or someone who "deserves" to lose.
It's compounded by the idea of the "loser" either being some faceless, nameless other, or someone who "deserves" to lose.
Here we go:
Okay, so ... you got the job. You therefore won life?
By which metric? Your metric? Is your metric universal? When was that agreed upon? Is that unspoken? If it's unspoken, how is it a metric?
Okay, so ... you got the job. You therefore won life?
By which metric? Your metric? Is your metric universal? When was that agreed upon? Is that unspoken? If it's unspoken, how is it a metric?
What happens if you got the job because they liked your clothes, or accent, or that you're from the same alma mater?
None of those are objective criteria as to your capability. Is that still winning?
How can someone lose if there aren't even rules?
None of those are objective criteria as to your capability. Is that still winning?
How can someone lose if there aren't even rules?
If you win because of some factor you can't control, did *you* really win?
If someone loses for the same reason, is it fair to rank them as such?
Did you deserve to win? Did they deserve to lose?
If someone loses for the same reason, is it fair to rank them as such?
Did you deserve to win? Did they deserve to lose?
"But how can I get a job if someone else doesn't get turned away?"
That's the question you need to ask, and not rhetorically. That's the problem that needs the solution, not a shrug and a status quo.
That's the question you need to ask, and not rhetorically. That's the problem that needs the solution, not a shrug and a status quo.
"But how can I get (X) if someone else isn't denied (X)?"
We internalize that very basic fallacy every. Single. Day. We don't question it, we accept and embrace it to reassure ourselves.
We need to challenge it.
We internalize that very basic fallacy every. Single. Day. We don't question it, we accept and embrace it to reassure ourselves.
We need to challenge it.
It's not a simple task. We have a lot of baggage.
But instead of just accepting that you got yours, and someone else will be fine or something, it's not your problem ...
Start figuring out how to make it your problem, and see if we can all break out of this shit and solve it.
But instead of just accepting that you got yours, and someone else will be fine or something, it's not your problem ...
Start figuring out how to make it your problem, and see if we can all break out of this shit and solve it.
Life. Is. Not. A. Game.
Just for the sake of argument, accept that as a true statement. Pretend you believe it's true.
Now go through your thinking and study your reactions accordingly.
... fucked up, right?
Just for the sake of argument, accept that as a true statement. Pretend you believe it's true.
Now go through your thinking and study your reactions accordingly.
... fucked up, right?
If nobody really deserves what they get, if there's no real way to determine who's doing it right and who's doing it wrong, if we're enforcing artificial scarcity, aggression and competition on each other just so we feel better about where we are ...
FUCKED UP, RIGHT?
FUCKED UP, RIGHT?
... you can't even challenge the notion for a moment, huh?
And yet he still took the time to help me make my point.
Bless him.
(blocks)
Bless him.
(blocks)
