12 Comments

"You don’t just have to be smarter than the other guy, you’ve got to be more ruthless."

I don't think smart is even in the equation. Ruthlessness only. The dumbest people rule the world now.

Also, thanks for this. Because it does feel like you're a naive idealist who's a fool most of the time, so every time someone expresses that they feel the same way, it's worth more than gold.

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Today I learned what mendacious and venal mean

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Homeland was great. How far along in the series are you?

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This was a fantastic read. Thanks.

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I think their one and only goal is to win, and to them that means hoarding the most wealth. It’s a game to them and we are the pawns.

Worth noting a king can be checkmated using only pawns.

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Trust me, you are not the only one up at night

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I also heartily agree. I have often wondered, like you, if I’m the sucker.

Every now and then, thankfully, something random will occur to me or my family that affirms that there are still those like us, who care, who believe in life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness, as well as possessing shame and humility.

But more and more of the world, especially here in the US, seems to be the folk you describe, whom we all should avoid. But they call “con men” con men for a reason…they’re good at conning you and selling that snake oil. I always hate it when someone I trusted violates that trust.

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I don't think the world has always been like this. I think it has been like this in the past (See: Italy, 1400's), but I believe it is dangerous to believe that things are continuously as bad as they ever were. For example, here are two Republicans talking about illegal aliens in 1980: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10154528827472814

I think things are cyclical, and we've been sliding down a slippery slope for a long time. Inevitably, epicurean excess and ineffectiveness will be eventually taken over by some new form stoicism. I have no idea when--maybe even in our lifetimes, maybe not even in our grandchildren's lifetimes. "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold"

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I get what you’re saying. I often concur. Still, I encourage you to lean toward the little guy on your right shoulder (you know, the one who looks like you but in a white suit and a halo) whispering “don’t give in to cynicism or the bad guys win!”

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I very much agree.

Also you don't have to say blog if you don't want. This is a NEWSLETTER!

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Thank you for this. It feels so true and so painful. The thought I keep having when I think about these people is “How dare they?” How dare they hurt millions of people? How dare they not give one half of one shit about anybody but themselves? How dare they make me so sad? Fuckers.

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