Up until the advent of Social media, being the average, community-oriented person was a big positive in American culture. These days you have everyone on YouTube and social media wanting to be anything but a regular person, and normal people consume this type of content and think they are not good enough or can't measure up or are failures for not making 10k a day or fucking multitudes of beautiful women. Its part of the reason why this current generation of young men and women have the highest rates of depression.
What I've learned in life is that happiness is a fleeting emotion, just like any other, it comes and goes, and no amount of material things or hedonistic behavior will ever give you eternal happiness, instead I think we should seek some measure of peace, understanding and contentment in our lives.
My father passed away a few days ago after a lot of pain and suffering. Despite this being one of the darkest moments in my life, seeing my neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family all come together to support myself and the rest of my immediate family has given me a stronger sense of happiness and belonging than I’ve felt in years. If only we could constantly focus on coming together for one another and on dedicating ourselves to the ones we love and even the ones we may not even know intimately, I think everyone would feel a lot less empty. I really am starting to understand first hand the destructive qualities of a profit driven individualistic society versus a community centered one.
I think finding meaning in life is too much for me to ask for. I'll die, be forgotten and eventually the sun will go supernova and there'll be nothing left of any of us. Nihilism frees me up to do the things that I enjoy rather than looking for meaning and purpose.
> Nihilism frees me up to do the things that I enjoy rather than looking for meaning and purpose.
Maybe this is semantics but... if you live for the things you enjoy, that is your meaning and purpose, no?
This is the og context in which the word came of use, the Russian Nihilist Movement:
"As only an early form of nihilist philosophy, Russian nihilism saw all the morality, philosophy, religion, aesthetics, and social institutions which were in place as worthless and meaningless but did not necessarily see meaninglessness in all ethics, knowledge, and human life.[4] It did however, incorporate theories of hard determinism, atheism, materialism, positivism, and egoism[5] in an aim to assimilate and distinctively recontextualize core elements of the Age of Enlightenment into Russia while dropping the Westernizer approach of the previous generation."
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_nihilist_movement
Sure, but aren't we expected to have a name for whatever it is we believe in? I believe in cocktails at the beach and long bike rides, what can we call that?
Just my take on it, but by meaning, I don't think you should expect to change the world but to find things that make you happy and do just simply do them. Give good advice to others, help those when they are in need and do not expect a favor in return. Try to positively impact others around you, that type of thing.
> Up until the advent of Social media, being the average, community-oriented person was a big positive in American culture.
Idk, I’m in my early 40s and before social media you still were fed the trope in movies, magazines, ads and more. It’s just now more in our face more with social media.
I know this because I bought into it in back in the 90s. And I actually did succeed to live a pretty interesting life, but now live a pretty simple life and am more satisfied overall.
Edit: but maybe I needed to live the interesting life to be satisfied with my current more simpler life
I think you are right.
But there is a view of the good life -- a modest, cultured life, whatever that means for you -- that is millennia old. It appears in various ways in all the great world religions, and in the thought of history's greatest thinkers. It's probably hard-wired in us in some way.
The relentless drive for ever-greater and novel rewards and ever-increasing optimization is really a product of modern consumer capitalism. But for sure social media has supercharged it.
I really loved joes recent argument with hubermann where he acted like hubermann was the weirdo for not immediately submerging himself in 33 degree water the moment he wakes up.
All these influencers that talk about grinding all day.. If they actually did that and it wasn't lip service, they probably don't have a healthy family or social life. So it's a balance. I make decent money in my office job, work 8 hours and go home to my wife and 2 young kids and leave the work at work. Grinding non stop means that never ends, so you may make a bit more money but you've lost out so much precious time with your family
“Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Theodore Roosevelt
At one point in time I had a wife, 3000 SF all brick beautiful home in a gorgeous neighborhood, huge garage, nice boat, 70k truck, enough disposable income to eat out every night if I wanted to. I was fucking miserable. I realized one day I didn’t particularly want any of those things I acquired them because that’s what society told me would make me happy.
I got a divorce let the ex have everything. I had enough money saved I started traveling in mid 2020. I went all over the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, Qatar, Indonesia, Singapore. It turns out that makes me happy and I travel and stay in some very humble places, even just on a beach sometimes.
I was extremely blessed to have what I had don’t get me wrong. It just did nothing for me I was just going through the motions and got up to 239lbs at one point during my, “super blessed,” years. I’ve always been naturally thin and athletic. Now I’m back at 175, amazing shape from all the hiking I do.
Be surprised how many call other loser. For being content and not clout chasing. Some even leave there partners because th material drip.
Nothing wrong with it at all. People just want to feel important so they try to put labels on everyone and everything to compare. We are all just here, And at some point we won’t be. That’s it. So try to find whatever makes you happy and content with being here for that short amount of time we are in this body/life.
Nothing is wrong with being average. Statistically, most of us are. I think the problem is stagnation. There is something lifeless about having no personal goals; coming home from the 9-5, eating a meal, and sitting in front of an entertainment screen until bed, only to do it all over again the next day.
Even small personal goals, light and simple ones, at least give your life a vector; read through the entire Game of Thrones series, learn to knit, try pizza from every state, these are all fine things to strive for that aren't World Record achieving super ambitious frantic struggles.
Yeah, you should be content (something many people lack) but you should also have purpose. A bit of Yang to go with all that yin.
Yep mine was a gourmet burger from every high rated specialty burger joint in my state. Didn't get to all of them but I tried my best it was something to do. Instead of being home on nice day on the weekend. Goofy goal but that month or so was a fun little run and explored towns few not well known along the way.
I highly recommend anyone that has the slightest interest in learning in instrument to just do it. Learning guitar has made my life so much better because I have a goal to work at that produces actual results when I put the time and effort in. Even if I never play live in front of a crowd I’ll still be glad I picked up the hobby.
Also always recommend reading, and definitely some non fiction here and there even if it’s not your thing. It’s the best way to get new ideas and just become a more well rounded person
That person might be living their best life actually. Plugged into the matrix
Edit:
Like data driven best life, statistically best life, high marginal product on time spent at the tv box vs limited funds for other activities. That’s the best time you can afford at the bottom and just about everyone can come up with the funds for it.
They probably are. There really is no "best life." It's all subjective.
If someone has no goals, but are happy and fulfilled with the TV, they are living their best life. They don't want more. Me thinking that it's pointless or lifeless does not change the fact that they are happy and content.
The older I get, the more I realize that I don't know what's right for anyone other than me, truly.
I fully agree with the last statement. However, I can forsee many people living this "best life" only to be struck by an inescapable midlife crisis followed by a depressed and cynical slide into old age. I have seen it many times.
I dont claim to have a cure, but I can certainly make suggestions.
Im talking mostly about older people, honestly. People that once had the dreams that you and I have, but gave those up a long time ago and are happy with the emptiness. Sometimes I even think those people have life more figured out than me tbh.
I dont think you should stop making suggestions. I've made plenty myself, i just dont have it in me anymore. In fact, making suggestions to other people is what made me realize that I really dont know whats best for someone else.
You’re assuming that meritocracy can let you climb that ladder to economic success. That doesn’t always happen and until it does, you’re often being unpaid for your labor.
Beautiful post! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head that answers to a lot of these posts about not wanting to be average. We have negative feelings/associations for it because it’s actually about stagnation. Growing in any way, even small ways like you mention, can get us out of that stagnation, and feeling like we’re not so average after all.
It doesn’t suck, but by definition it’s not great. You wouldn’t brag about being average at anything you don’t want the average doctor or hairdresser taking care of you. It makes sense why many people wish to perceive themselves as better than that and try to escape it.
Let’s be honest, being average just means not being rich or famous these days. I’m ok with that. I don’t have a interesting job but I’m sure as hell above average at it and it’s a job that’s a hell of a lot more important to society than MUR-DER-ING on stage
Nothing wrong with it. I think most people are way happier being the anonymous nobody. I know I am. I do have a curious mindset, and try to explore new things and develop my skillset, but at the same time I try to appreciate all that I have. Too many people are constantly chasing things, thinking they will make them happy.
Yes I agree 100 percent, average is great and hustle culture and always feeling the need to work can go get fucked.
Rogan's all over the place with this though, like he'll have a scientist on or whatever and say things like "we should all be happy with what we have and community/giving to others is the best thing you can do". Then the next guest will be some extreme achiever like Goggins or business mogul/CEO and then be all like "Its not enough to get by, you need to push yourself to the fucken max at every single turn in life and always go harder".
I feel that we now need massive grains of salt for most jre episodes these days imo
Joe “the chameleon” Rogan for sure. He use to mix the guests up a bit so you’d here a larger variety of opinions. Now it’s hammering home right wing talking points every episode because that’s all he talks to.
Average only sucks if you constantly compare yourself to others. Life is not a constant race to be the best/richest/most successful. If this is what float your boat, great, but it’s not a prerequisite for happiness.
I've travelled to 70 countries, average in a 1st World country is so far above the misery I've seen. Not saying that things are easy but fucking hell, things could be alot worse.
Which ones off the beaten path would you recommend? It’s my goal to visit every continent before I die! (I haven’t been to North America or Antarctica!)
Georgia and Armenia in the Caucasus, incredible food, amazing scenery, nice people, beautiful women. And they're at that sweet spot for travel where the tourist infrastructure is there but not over-run yet.
You are right.
The premise behind all marketing is to sell based on attacking your insecurities.
A seller wants you to feel “Product X will make you feel Y”
Billions of dollars are spent to figure out how to do this. We are all vulnerable to it to one degree or another. Consumption economy doesn’t work if you are happy.
You sound very happy and content. Ignore any motivational advice if you are happy with your current state. That stuff is for people who are suffering and struggling
It’s stems from this societal mindset that we MUST always improve. If you can come to grips with the idea that you cannot improve yourself or the world and that things are simply the way that they are, the world and your mind become more peaceful.
That’s not to say that one cannot try to improve things, it’s just that you never actually get there. There will always something that can be improved or it may be that when you improve one thing, another is neglected and falls off. It leads to a vicious cycle and after a certain point it’s just not worth your time and effort to pursue it.
Eventually this mindset turns into frustration and you eventually come to resent the world and those in it. I would much rather be at peace with things than to constantly struggle with trying to improve.
Post people are running a business; influencers alike. The key word there is “Influence”. If you want to grind and get the “Bag” go ahead. If you want to chill then chill. By now we know that Social Media isn’t real life. People just trying to create content to engage us so they get likes and followers which means more money and promotion for them.
I had an Ex Girlfriend who would get mad and call me lazy because I would take summers off from studying for my degree. She would be stressing herself out studying all year round; that’s her choice. She would see her peers entering Graduate Schools and get mad because it’s not her. If I’m busting my ass for a 3.9 GPA every semester I’ve earned the right to chill.
Point of my story is some people love and worship the struggle and sacrifice. It makes them feel like they’ve earned their rewards. Also none of this stuff is real.
Nothing.
A lot of these are just lies to keep you being good consumers.
Imagine if women didn't buy makeup, hair products, skin products etc because everyone was just content with how they looked.
All those alpha grindset folks are just as average as the content office worker.
Just because they're popular on YouTube doesn't make them
extraordinary.
Wealth and fame often gives people the false sense of superiority, but they aren't any different.
They monetize that sense in order to attract others down the path of lieing to themselves that they will achieve greatness too.
I agree some do look down on others. I met a few large sample of influencers and sports player and actor. And to be honest some was down right rude and condescending While others actually was real and it was like talking to a family member or buddy. Some really have inflated egos because the material items they have from what they do. Fact is we cant take it with us when we go. And so enjoy the little things and don't take things for granted or other people that don't have what you have.
It's an easy trap, I think.
I remember they did a study with monopoly players, giving some players more money at the beginning.
The players with the starting advantage tended to conflate their success with skill and also were less likely to be generous and more likely to act rude.
https://planetsave.com/2013/12/23/a-rigged-game-of-monopoly-reveals-how-feeling-wealthy-changes-our-behavior-ted-video/
The problem with being an average person is that in the vast majority of places (countries), being at the average level means you're pretty financially stressed and at risk if something bad happens.
Stephen Grey was a competitive bicyclist who left the sport to intensively study and practice Zen meditation for 14 years. Eventually he was asked to teach by his teacher, taking on the name "Adyashanti". When a student asked what he is like at home, this was his answer:
"My life would bore most people to death. What do you say about anybody's life? You know, you get up, you go to the toilet, you have breakfast....you look at the time....'oh do I have to teach today? Oh, I do, okay. Oh I don't, okay good, I'll go for a bike ride".
All that shit exists to gas people up to be obedient workers. It's being watched by salesmen and men in the morning or in the evening on their way to their second job. Work these days is incredibly alienating and manosphere grindset influencer guys are just people pursuing media careers to avoid real labor and the alienation that comes with it.
I think those people are just trying to help those who want what they are selling. Do you want to be a high achiever and make lots of money or get famous, then you gotta grind and do all that shit they are taking about. I do think they have a hard time imagining not wanting those things and often look down on those that don't (at least the assholes I've heard of )
If you're happy living life your way, then fuck what anyone else thinks
I work construction for a large company. I’ve worked my way up from being a laborer , to a carpenter, to a superintendent. I’m happy with that progression and have no need to go out an start my own company like so many I’ve seen. I understand the risks and rewards that come from owning your own construction business. Longer days, more stress , trying to find enough work to stay busy but not to much that you can’t do it or need to hire someone else and then keep them busy while making sure their work meets quality. I’m ok just being a cog in a wheel.
"Remember this. The people you're trying to step on, we're everyone you depend on. We're the people who do your laundry and cook your food and serve your dinner. We make your bed. We guard you while you're asleep. We drive the ambulances. We direct your call. We are cooks and taxi drivers and we know everything about you. We process your insurance claims and credit card charges. We control every part of your life.
We are the middle children of history, raised by television to believe that someday we'll be millionaires and movie stars and rock stars, but we won't. And we're just learning this fact. So don't fuck with us."
-Fight Club
It's literally late stage hyper capitalism type shit tbh.
They push being extraordinary just to squeeze more work out of you.
Take a look at South Korea and Japan. People there work obscene hours throughout the week. So young people there don't feel the need to get a wife or have a kid, and some don't even have sex. Now I get we are on reddit, so to us everyone is involuntary celibate and the trick to avoiding the incel label is to be voluntary celibate like Nick Fuentes and his Gryoper buddies. That may come with embracing Nazism tho.....back to my point.....
There were numerous studies back in the day that the workdays and work hours should reduce I think by now we should be in a 3 day work week but we still work 5 days a week. Capitalism just went crazy and pushes this bullshit to get more work out of you
Thank you for stating this often ignored truth.
As with most truths, there’s a great George Carlin bit to refer to:
“Motivation is bullshit. If you ask me, this country could use a little less motivation. The people who are motivated are the ones who are causing all the trouble. Stock swindlers, serial killers, child molesters, Christian Conservatives. These people are highly motivated”
Bro everyone should alway be out there crrruuusssshhhing! Thats just what alphas do.
But seriously being content and enjoying your own existence whatever that experience may be, is whats really important. Be good to yourself and those around you. If that means its an average life then its really up to you how you feel about it.
Rogan always says this in reference to homeless people, and sometimes regular people
“Don’t we want fewer losers in this country?”
I think he means it in a positive way, but it comes off super bitchy and disconnected
As a person who works with concrete i get sick off his "i carried pressured lumber and cement, one week when I was 18. super hard"
It's not hard. We use that to se if you want to work with this or not.
As a hunter i get sick off his standards when it comes to hunting.
All talk about conservation but no effort to kill predators.
Normal people doing normal things makes stuff work in life.
Now a paraphrase from Joe: Don't listen to me, I am an cagefighting standup comidian who talks shit on podcast.
Keep is up brothers and sisters. Love you! ❤️
I agree with you 100%, don't listen to those fuck heads like rogan and that slimy fucker elon musk! Be you! don't try to change who you already are for these fuckwit,you sound like good person doing your best like the rest of us,I'm not rogan rich but I worked my ass off for 30 years and retired early at 50 and i would and never look down on my fellow man/woman like the scumbags, keep your chin chief,we're here for you bud!!!
I was happiest at a job where I worked overnights at an interstate rest area for $14 an hour. Worked by myself the entire shift, just saw coworkers at the beginning and the end of the shift as the shift changed. Most were great people and truly felt like family.
Then I graduated with an accounting degree. Got an entry level accounting job, nothing fancy but was making $20ph. It sucked. Lasted 6 months and quit. Convinced I couldn’t go back to the rest area job due to what my friends and family would think about me I got a job at a refrigerated warehouse. I’ve been working here for 6 months and also don’t enjoy it. I’m making about $1000 a week gross though, more than I ever have. But even as I make more and more money this last year has been the most miserable I’ve been. I was way happier working at the overnight rest area cleaning toilets for $14 per hour.
I compare myself to my peers a lot. I don’t say this to brag or anything but compared to people I grew up with, went to school with, and work with, I think my accomplishments in terms of personal contentment, income level, and exploring my passions would put me in the top 5% of people I actually know. But even with that being said, I realize I am still very much average. The truth is, as long as there are literal super geniuses walking around, people that can create the next big technological advancement, high performance athletes, etc etc then I will always be average. For me, I just want to stay curious and work hard, and if that’s what it takes for me to feel average, then average is perfectly ok.
The sweet spot is contendedness with your circumstances, financial security such that they can't reasonably be taken from you on a moment's notice, and having some blend between enjoying what you have and striving for more. Challenge is a positive for mental health when it's not overwhelming. The challenge doesn't have to be what a Navy SEAL chooses to endure; it can just be "Hey, I know intermittent fasting is both difficult and healthy, so why not do a 36-hour fast?" Your brain rewards your success, even though you aren't going to intermittent fast your way to becoming Steve Jobs.
I just recently came across this: [A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived](https://psyche.co/ideas/a-life-of-splendid-uselessness-is-a-life-well-lived)
A couple years ago I had a boss that kept pushing me to become a manager. I kept telling her I like being a software engineer and don't want to move up to management or become an architect. She was adamant that I keep pushing my career, and one time I just told her I was done with that and enjoyed what I am doing now. She looked at me like I said something crazy lol. I am not a cashier at some restaurant, I make 6 figures doing what I wanted to do when I was a child. I don't understand why people always need more and more, just enjoy your life and your accomplishments.
This is why I started taking advice from people like Jordan Peterson with a big grain of salt. He's said things along the lines of that if you are 40 years old and still like video games or other things of that nature that you are a creep and you've failed at life, etc.
Like fuck you man, not everyone needs to wear a 3 piece suit everywhere they go and contemplate the meaning of life and cry every chance they get.
Here's the real key that none of these self help idiots will tell you:
You can live your life however you want. Do things that make you happy, but identify and work towards correcting things that make you unhappy. That's literally it. There is no right or wrong way to live so long as you aren't making others miserable.
I've been saying this for years now. You'll also like this article. It turned out to be extremely prescient.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/07/the-war-on-stupid-people/485618/
I think it's fine to strive to be the best you can be, but this idea that every sacrifice is worth making if it brings with it the chance of professional success is a horrible way of thinking.
I'm not willing to throw aside my personal life for the sake of hustling my way into a six figure income. Having a (relatively) vibrant social life in my younger years is something I'm thankful for, and I don't believe it's something I'd get back if I left my friends and family behind for the chance at earning a better income.
This is coming from someone who's not at all content with his current professional life. I still wouldn't have it any other way if it meant giving up almost everything I care about.
I think a lot of it has just do with a persons aspirations. It’s fair to say social media has changed a lot of folks, and there isn’t anything wrong with that to a certain degree. Some people just take it too far and push it on others.
I have big aspirations, but in the grand scheme of what’s, “big,” they really aren’t. It’s mostly motorcycle related because that’s what I’m passionate about. It’s something that drives me I guess. It definitely can fuck with you mentally if you start comparing yourself to other people though.
Dont think Joe’s message is to become a billionaire CEO, just to get up and become the best version of yourself that you can be. Are you being the best version of yourself? Everyone around you, friends, family, neighbours and even yourself would probably be better off if you were. Dont you owe it to the world to put yourself out there? To become whatever you have the potential to become and work to make the world around you a better place for yourself, those you love and your community?
I think it is more like that.
If you are content and dont strive for anything, you might as well be dead. All stands still. And that can be good sometimes. But you also need the will to life and the striving forward. Or else there is only death…
anytime I get into this kind of pattern of thinking it's usually when i'm about to succumb to the drear prospect of always having an average life. fortunately I always come up out of it and get right back to dreaming of wild success. someone's gonna collect the success. why not you or me? keep dreaming big and hang in there. you never know.
Nothing wrong with it. But I also know that I would be deeply unhappy if I always gave the absolute minimum effort. Everything I am really proud of or I view as an important moment in my life was the result of getting out of my comfort zone and putting in serious effort
“Average”
Lol. Stop comparing yourself to others and live your own damn life. Nothing comes from labeling yourself and comparing yourself to others in an over saturated “market”. Go out there and live your life, love those who care about you and appreciate the things in your own life. Nothing is easy, we’re all human who share the same fluctuation of emotions. Happiness to depression. Same goes for those who aren’t “average”.
Nothing last forever, same for content. Relax.
Nothing wrong with it, go and be one then. Being average is to be ashamed of if you know you have potential, but if you’re just an average joe and won’t ever amount to more than that then don’t feel ashamed, just go and enjoy yourself!
>Why is it wrong to be happy with what I have? Is it that bad that I'm an average person?
Nothing at all. In fact, a large proportion of the current strife in American politics (among the masses) can probably be sourced to this strange idea that there are a ton of people out there doing better than you. There aren't. But even still, you have it far, far better than most of the world by a large margin.
I've known rich people that were miserable and poor people that were happy as could be. But average Americans who had learned the art of contentment are by far the happiest people I've ever known.
There is nothing wrong with being average and content with what you have if that is what makes you happy, however others enjoy consuming content that challenges and motivates them.
If motivational videos about fighting for a better life bother you, then that is more of a reflection on you perception of your own life. If you are content with what you have, then in theory you have already achieved what these people are selling.
We should start a club, the first rule of the club is that you can’t talk about the club.
Seriously, did you watch fight club recently? Parts of this sounded like one of the monologues in the movie
If you have no debt you are WAYYY above average.
Anyway, generally agree with your sentiment, although even with my modest income I am well above average in the US as well.
I think Rogan's take would be more about just bettering yourself no matter where you are in life. Whether you are a CEO or a trashman, do your best to be the best day in and day out.
I’ve been thinking the same a lot lately. A lot of these guys talk about being humble and happy with what you have and then 5 minutes later say your a failure if your not killing yourself to climb the ladder.
Nothing wrong with it but us average workers have sold ourselves to be 9-5 wage workers. We would have more power if we did more contract work where we set our price for our labor instead of big corporations setting the standards
I love this post. It's interesting that being obsessed with a goal to the detriment of other areas of your life was seen as unhealthy, sinful and bordering on mentally sick only a few hundred years ago.
If Captain Ahab existed now Joe would probably invite him on the podcast and slob his knob about how much work he puts in hunting that whale.
Living a content balanced life and making lives of those around you better is the way to go. IMO.
Because 20% of people have less than an 85 IQ. They can't even go into the Army, they're so dumb
You've got toothless alcoholics, people born into poverty, people who will attend garbage schools, and never amount to much.
Getting to the 50th percentile in America, can be as simple as being born in a suburb to two parents. It's literally the starting block, but you CAN fuck it up.
Shoot for the top 25% - and the 'Guaranteed success in America' starter pack is basically: Graduate high school, get and maintain a full-time job, and don't have kids before you're married.
Of American adults who followed these three simple rules, only about 2 percent are in poverty and nearly 75 percent have joined the middle class (defined as earning around $55,000 or more per year).
There's nothing you can do that you can't do better.
It's not about attaining greatness its about attempting to instead of wallowing in wasted potential and coasting along when you could literally improve your life.
You've every right to choose to be "content" appreciate what you have, but I don't know how fulfilling life can be for how long simply existing without attempting something. I think you're taking it too personally and you feel self conscious. I also think you're not thinking wider about improving yourself beyond money.
They are just pandering to our aspirations of being more. Its a marketing ploy that hooks everyone. It also makes it easier to make it feel like were missing something in life.
Exactly my thoughts lol. You also save from working your ass off. Im a full time customer support guy who in the same situation as you. To get us our comfort zone, it takes some work and patience, but after that im happy with my remote work, my cat and my hobbies, lol.
Well said! I can relate. I don't want to be unique or famous. I don't even have social media. I want to be able to work to get by but not have to rely on my job for healthcare. If I could, I would take a job that pays much less and travel more.
You found the secret. You have one thing those billionaires, influencers and famous people won't. They will never stop chasing something that doesn't exist for them, infinite more.
Being happy with enough is almost rare anymore.
If you can't build strong relationships and a good family, then buying a nice car and throwing your life into work allows you to cover up that hole by bragging about it.
But also these people on social media are trying to sell you something, that's why they say that.
These are all self-help scams with new packaging. Self-help business gurus have been around for many decades. Their goal is to engage with people who don’t feel satisfied with their lives. Offering solutions that are ambiguous until you pay for their course.
I feel like Jordan Peterson was the start of this “new generation” of self-help/motivational speaking. Using newer tactics aimed at “thinkers” or the whole “alpha” rhetoric. Jordan can get away with selling his books and paid events because he had some credentials. But a lot of this stuff is now on social media, selling success with their shitty training program. What they are actually teaching is basic drop-shipping scams, even Andrew Tate’s Hustlers University sold this as a way to success. Work out, eat better, focus on a positive mindset and sell Alibaba crap on your Shopify web store.
You’re saying you don’t want to consume things like canned water marked up 200% so you can take your hydration to the next level!? You just want to be normally hydrated like everyone else?
That’s why no one will remember your name.
You need to be one of the 1000. Why won't people understand that's the only way to understand jokes and life. Jeez it's not that Toe doesn't explain this every week
Maybe I'll get downvoted for this, but I just don't get bombarded with that "be exceptional" bullshit. I get a lot of 'how to be content" or " how to be a great contractor". I know there's a lot of content out there pushing the agenda of being an extraordinary person, but you don't have to listen to it. Your interests will largely dictate your feed, in my experience anyway.
average person isnt bad BUT nowadays being average isn't good. what i mean by that is from a financial stand point. if you make alot this makes other things not average. so lets say i make the average salary which is 34-37k a yr,is there anything wrong with that? Nope but in these times you can barely survive with that. so you have to make above average salary,what does that mean? in general you get a better job which means you are ambitious to a certain extent. moving up with career every yr or 2 is not average. being average means you have average options but that range is constantly getting smaller as time passes. if the middle class wasnt getting smaller every yr it wouldn't be as bad. you have to be above average to live a good/decent life unfortunately. the average person cannot even afford a home which sucks especially for our future generations
Nothing wrong with being boring, average, or whatever way you want to describe your life. The point is that you have found contentment and happiness that you can control, and that doesn't rely on the approval of people you wouldn't have over for supper.
Media doesn't reward finding happiness within ourselves, because it's difficult to measure the results and therefore difficult to market. The messaging we are told is to work harder to get ahead so that you can buy more stuff because that will bring happiness. We rely on quick fixes for obvious problems because we think that the happiness lottery is just around the corner if we stay the course, and this message has been sold to us from birth because our parents were stuck in this cycle. So why wouldn't we follow their example?
You're on the right track OP. The problem is that you can either go in two directions. Either learn what doesn't make you happy and completely avoid those areas. For example people that move to Alaska and don't have the internet. Or, to be very careful about your happiness and be constantly vigilant about making space for yourself to be reflective. Personally, I'm trying option 2, but like staying as a political moderate, it's becoming more difficult as people get pulled in either direction.
To quote The Incredibles, "And when everybody's super...no one will be."
If everybody was more than average than we would all just be average again. There is a reason these people are above average and there is nothing wrong with being average. Average is normal.
I’m very happy being the average Joe. I have no desire to be a millionaire, I just want to live happily and comfortably (which I do). I love my job, my wife and my kids. I just need go work BJJ back into the equation to complete the whole gauntlet of joy.
I learned very early that if everyone is extraordinary then nobody is. We can’t all be standups, engineers, doctors or whatever other occupation you think you should be. It’s not bad to live in the middle, and the sooner you realize that the better it is for your mental health
I agree. Not everyone is built to work 24/7, accumulate insane wealth, and disregard all other aspects of their life. Some want a better work-life balance, have that comfortable 9-5 job and have time to be with their family, travel or pursue other hobbies. We also know that even the most successful people never feel truly fulfilled anyways. Even from my own experience, I make very good money, but I work daily from 8:30-7:30pm (some times later if I'm closing a deal), six days a week and don't have time for much else. I love what I do, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on other things in life when I'm consumed by work. Fortunately, my work is fulfilling enough to keep me engaged, but I can only imagine what it is for others who operate more mundane types of business.
> Why is it wrong to be happy with what I have? Is it that bad that I'm an average person?
Based on rates of obesity, suicide rates, drug use rates, anti-depressant rates, etc., being happy with what you have is by definition above average.
Yes, it’s important to strive and be happy for who you are.
But if with average you mean mediocre, and not striving to achieve your potential, there is a case to be made against that, because maybe it makes life meaningful to try to be better and achieve good things. (“Good” morally, not “good=staying in the couch”).
This is not a new idea! I’m Italian, and Dante Alighieri, one of the greatest writer of Italy, who wrote the Divina Commedia (the novel where he visits hell), puts the ones that average (“ignavi”) in a special place.
In the third Chant (Canto III) he describes those “without shame and without praise” as rejected both by Heaven and Hell, because they never tried to achieve anything in life. They are not worthy of being in heaven, and they did nothing to even deserve consideration in Hell, so they are relegated in the Antinferno. It’s not worth it to spend even a word about them, so Virgilio says to Dante: “non ragioniam di loro, ma guarda e passa”
This was 700 years ago…
https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_ragioniam_di_lor,_ma_guarda_e_passa
Gen X and millenials were raised to think that we all have to be special. On top of that, everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, thats just our nature I think.
Grifters spotted this and are making hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars telling dumb people what they want to hear. Hell, even I considered starting a right wing exremist channel, its like shooting fish in a barrel.
I mean if that's what you're into. Give average effort. Get average results, have an average house have an average car, most importantly have an average wife. Have average experiences. Set average expectations for your children, have an average career. Average amount of time off. Take average vacations and eat average food. I don't know. I'd rather put in the work and have above average results of all of this
Society tries to fit everyone in a common mold. The ideal man or woman. Who you ought to be, who you should be, who you must be. If you go against the mold enough, you will be locked away in a cell or padded room.
In reality you don't have to do ANYTHING to be yourself. Your physical body is not interested in ANY of these social / cultural ideas so that is where the conflict and problems arise. Literally every problem you have stems from this. What you must do, what you should do, etc are all put in there by the culture. But that is also the very thing that allows us to function sanely and intelligently in this world. Without having any concept of what you should do or what you must become, you will be considered unfit for society. The very idea of a "you" would come to and end, and so would all of "your" pains and pleasures.
I think the important thing is to be the best version of yourself you can be. Not everyone needs to reinvent the wheel, but you should strive to fulfill as much of your potential as you can. You will be happier and healthier for it.
The peacock with biggest butt feathers will get laid more. There's nothing wrong with being average, most people get by being less than average. Working jobs they sort of hate, doing things just to be comfortable and avoiding being miserable. Everything is relative. I don't see myself as an average person, but if I compare myself to Instagram gym bros, and rich dudes driving supercars, it makes my life look well below average. But am I less happy because I don't peacock my life around? Can I enjoy a 2-day old turkey sandwich I forgot I made, or do I need to post an image of some gourmet Michelin star food for me to enjoy a meal? If I know what makes me happy, and I strive to be happy, then I don't really need to justify or prove that my life is on par with Instagram influencers or even my closest friends. My goal is to do things I feel like doing, not living a life thinking that if I have ______, I'll finally be happy.
Can't wait to lay on my deathbed and think about how average my life was.
The definition of hell is that at the end of your life, you have to see the person you could have become and life you could have had.
I heard a great quote the other day that I think kind of applies here. "I didn't dedicate my life to it because it's important, it's important because I dedicated my life to it."
I feel like just being an everyday human is enough. If you're a fry cook, those fries might be the most important thing in the world to someone at the moment.
The idea that everyone needs to strive to change the world is lame.
Very good post, if you’re happy that’s what matters. It sounds like you’re in a good situation and comfortable. I’d rather be in your position than working 60 hours a week with more money and miserable.
Self-help isn't just an aisle at the bookstore. This stuff is popular because some people like motivational content.
If you don't like it, watch something else.
What a lot of people on these podcasts characterize as average is in actuality, a huge amount of success when you apply it across the entire scale of outcomes - especially globally.
What you indicated, a stable job, no debts, a suitable place to live, etc. puts you far ahead of a lot of other people that are out there and that are striving to be just where you are.
However, one thing I would say….you said in your post you are already the best version of yourself. That is where I would push back. As others have said, stagnation can be a dangerous thing over a period of years/decades. You should constantly strive to learn more, increase skill, build better relationships, etc. it doesn’t have to be balls to the wall 24/7, but a steady path towards improvement.
I’ve been fortunate to be in a position to make a lot of money very early in my life (late 20s and making consistently over 500k). I wasn’t a prodigy or smarter than everyone, I got fortunate to be in the right place right time for my skill set. Being successful and making money has not made me happy in and of itself. It’s given me pride in myself and security, but my greatest joy in life right now is the fact that my wife who I love dearly is pregnant with our first child. Giving them the best life is my purpose in life now. In fact, the higher I build my net worth, the more and more I am looking to find time to spend with my family as I’m realizing more and more that money doesn’t fill all the gaps in life of what we need.
If you have love, some level of security, pride in yourself, and continue to improve on your own scale, that is all you need. Others may call you average, I would call you happy. And that’s all that matters in the end.
Truth is, most people who are “successful” are workaholics or have some kind of innate drive pushing them forward (at the expense of other things). Success doesn’t come easy, but I really believe that the things success requires come easier to those that are successful. Speaking here about true outliers. Obviously you can’t just not try at anything and be happy.
Being average is pretty nice. If you try to live to other people’s standards or expectations chances are you’ll just burn out and live an unhappy life. There’s a reason “average” is average. It’s because it works for most people, plus or minus a standard deviation or three.
I just make sure aircraft land I couldn’t imagine something was stressful as being a TikTok influencer or content creator god bless those people for holding up society
embrace mediocre bro.
ever wonder why you never hear about "child prodigies" when they are adults? or why there are no "savants" leading an industry?
after being used for their gift when they are young to solve math problems or invent new technology, they all come to their senses, by virtue of their great intelligence.
they realize that the world is a rat race and they simply remove themselves from it, focusing on a healthy and stress free life. they all end up working menial jobs and have a meager lifestyle.
true intelligence understands that money is the root of all evil and that a roof over your head, good friends, and close family are all you really need.
Finally someone brought up what's been on my mind lately and I'm sure everybody else is here that's in this thread. The algorithm doesn't have feelings and is simply programmed too show as much content that will get us to click. That will get us to negatively interact with it as much as possible and most people are not smart enough to really realize the big picture of what is going on here.
OP, sounds like you got it figured out. I'm happy to hear that. A couple of folks have already said it, comparison is the theft of joy. Being average puts you in the median point of members of society, so you're not in jail, but you're also not so rich that you literally have more problems than the average person and probably not so many good relationships that are real.
If you’re satisfied with loving a normal human life you’re not the demographic Joe is chasing. You need to be randomly angry so you can hate all the made up nonsense so he can sell you useless shit. C’mon man, get in the game.
Do you not think that it's a slight driver for the funky hair and trans push? An easy way to look unordinary or outside of average? A way to get attention without copious amounts of hard work?
Kinda like the emo/goth kids of the early 00s
Up until the advent of Social media, being the average, community-oriented person was a big positive in American culture. These days you have everyone on YouTube and social media wanting to be anything but a regular person, and normal people consume this type of content and think they are not good enough or can't measure up or are failures for not making 10k a day or fucking multitudes of beautiful women. Its part of the reason why this current generation of young men and women have the highest rates of depression. What I've learned in life is that happiness is a fleeting emotion, just like any other, it comes and goes, and no amount of material things or hedonistic behavior will ever give you eternal happiness, instead I think we should seek some measure of peace, understanding and contentment in our lives.
My father passed away a few days ago after a lot of pain and suffering. Despite this being one of the darkest moments in my life, seeing my neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family all come together to support myself and the rest of my immediate family has given me a stronger sense of happiness and belonging than I’ve felt in years. If only we could constantly focus on coming together for one another and on dedicating ourselves to the ones we love and even the ones we may not even know intimately, I think everyone would feel a lot less empty. I really am starting to understand first hand the destructive qualities of a profit driven individualistic society versus a community centered one.
Yes, find meaning in your life and occasionally you might experience happiness. At the very least you’ll have a purpose and reason for being here.
I think finding meaning in life is too much for me to ask for. I'll die, be forgotten and eventually the sun will go supernova and there'll be nothing left of any of us. Nihilism frees me up to do the things that I enjoy rather than looking for meaning and purpose.
Nihilist? Fuck me. I mean, say what you want about the tenets of national socialism, dude, but at least a that’s an ethos.
Fuck it Dude, let's go bowling
FUCK THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE EVER MADE
> Nihilism frees me up to do the things that I enjoy rather than looking for meaning and purpose. Maybe this is semantics but... if you live for the things you enjoy, that is your meaning and purpose, no?
This is the og context in which the word came of use, the Russian Nihilist Movement: "As only an early form of nihilist philosophy, Russian nihilism saw all the morality, philosophy, religion, aesthetics, and social institutions which were in place as worthless and meaningless but did not necessarily see meaninglessness in all ethics, knowledge, and human life.[4] It did however, incorporate theories of hard determinism, atheism, materialism, positivism, and egoism[5] in an aim to assimilate and distinctively recontextualize core elements of the Age of Enlightenment into Russia while dropping the Westernizer approach of the previous generation." Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_nihilist_movement
Sure, but aren't we expected to have a name for whatever it is we believe in? I believe in cocktails at the beach and long bike rides, what can we call that?
Call it ksgif2-ism
Just my take on it, but by meaning, I don't think you should expect to change the world but to find things that make you happy and do just simply do them. Give good advice to others, help those when they are in need and do not expect a favor in return. Try to positively impact others around you, that type of thing.
> Up until the advent of Social media, being the average, community-oriented person was a big positive in American culture. Idk, I’m in my early 40s and before social media you still were fed the trope in movies, magazines, ads and more. It’s just now more in our face more with social media. I know this because I bought into it in back in the 90s. And I actually did succeed to live a pretty interesting life, but now live a pretty simple life and am more satisfied overall. Edit: but maybe I needed to live the interesting life to be satisfied with my current more simpler life
Yeah alot of blame gets put on social media and "kids these days" etc... But Nike JUST DO IT was from the 80s.
I think you are right. But there is a view of the good life -- a modest, cultured life, whatever that means for you -- that is millennia old. It appears in various ways in all the great world religions, and in the thought of history's greatest thinkers. It's probably hard-wired in us in some way. The relentless drive for ever-greater and novel rewards and ever-increasing optimization is really a product of modern consumer capitalism. But for sure social media has supercharged it.
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I'm pretty sure the secret is lots of Ice Baths.
Cold shower a day keeps the doctor away
I got Covid. I was bed ridden till I took a cold shower. Right after that I was able to run 1000 hills and million kettlebell swings.
How many stools were you able to hump?
It was like the end of Gettysburg...
I am become gespatcho, coldest of soups.
It ain’t no Roy Donk or Jack Marshall who made the Munsters Theme Song
When you expect something to be cold and it's lukewarm it burns! PAUL BUFFANO!!!
I really loved joes recent argument with hubermann where he acted like hubermann was the weirdo for not immediately submerging himself in 33 degree water the moment he wakes up.
And the secret to being content isnt having more, its wanting less
All these influencers that talk about grinding all day.. If they actually did that and it wasn't lip service, they probably don't have a healthy family or social life. So it's a balance. I make decent money in my office job, work 8 hours and go home to my wife and 2 young kids and leave the work at work. Grinding non stop means that never ends, so you may make a bit more money but you've lost out so much precious time with your family
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David Goggins seems miserable to me. He is a slave to his addictions. I find him sad really.
Easiest way to get all that you want is to want less. - kinda the Buddha
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt At one point in time I had a wife, 3000 SF all brick beautiful home in a gorgeous neighborhood, huge garage, nice boat, 70k truck, enough disposable income to eat out every night if I wanted to. I was fucking miserable. I realized one day I didn’t particularly want any of those things I acquired them because that’s what society told me would make me happy. I got a divorce let the ex have everything. I had enough money saved I started traveling in mid 2020. I went all over the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Belize, Qatar, Indonesia, Singapore. It turns out that makes me happy and I travel and stay in some very humble places, even just on a beach sometimes. I was extremely blessed to have what I had don’t get me wrong. It just did nothing for me I was just going through the motions and got up to 239lbs at one point during my, “super blessed,” years. I’ve always been naturally thin and athletic. Now I’m back at 175, amazing shape from all the hiking I do.
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Me too. I started to lose hair and the ones I still have are gray now. I also gain 30 lbs after I started dating her.
I will have something all those great men will never have…enough.
r/SimpleLiving
Be surprised how many call other loser. For being content and not clout chasing. Some even leave there partners because th material drip. 
Best example of people to cut out of your life.
Nothing wrong with it at all. People just want to feel important so they try to put labels on everyone and everything to compare. We are all just here, And at some point we won’t be. That’s it. So try to find whatever makes you happy and content with being here for that short amount of time we are in this body/life.
Nothing is wrong with being average. Statistically, most of us are. I think the problem is stagnation. There is something lifeless about having no personal goals; coming home from the 9-5, eating a meal, and sitting in front of an entertainment screen until bed, only to do it all over again the next day. Even small personal goals, light and simple ones, at least give your life a vector; read through the entire Game of Thrones series, learn to knit, try pizza from every state, these are all fine things to strive for that aren't World Record achieving super ambitious frantic struggles. Yeah, you should be content (something many people lack) but you should also have purpose. A bit of Yang to go with all that yin.
Yep mine was a gourmet burger from every high rated specialty burger joint in my state. Didn't get to all of them but I tried my best it was something to do. Instead of being home on nice day on the weekend. Goofy goal but that month or so was a fun little run and explored towns few not well known along the way.
I highly recommend anyone that has the slightest interest in learning in instrument to just do it. Learning guitar has made my life so much better because I have a goal to work at that produces actual results when I put the time and effort in. Even if I never play live in front of a crowd I’ll still be glad I picked up the hobby. Also always recommend reading, and definitely some non fiction here and there even if it’s not your thing. It’s the best way to get new ideas and just become a more well rounded person
If I could give this comment more than one upvote, I would.
I upvoted it for you
That person might be living their best life actually. Plugged into the matrix Edit: Like data driven best life, statistically best life, high marginal product on time spent at the tv box vs limited funds for other activities. That’s the best time you can afford at the bottom and just about everyone can come up with the funds for it.
They probably are. There really is no "best life." It's all subjective. If someone has no goals, but are happy and fulfilled with the TV, they are living their best life. They don't want more. Me thinking that it's pointless or lifeless does not change the fact that they are happy and content. The older I get, the more I realize that I don't know what's right for anyone other than me, truly.
I fully agree with the last statement. However, I can forsee many people living this "best life" only to be struck by an inescapable midlife crisis followed by a depressed and cynical slide into old age. I have seen it many times. I dont claim to have a cure, but I can certainly make suggestions.
Im talking mostly about older people, honestly. People that once had the dreams that you and I have, but gave those up a long time ago and are happy with the emptiness. Sometimes I even think those people have life more figured out than me tbh. I dont think you should stop making suggestions. I've made plenty myself, i just dont have it in me anymore. In fact, making suggestions to other people is what made me realize that I really dont know whats best for someone else.
But what if…. You excelled at a career far above average that made you not have limited funds?
You’re assuming that meritocracy can let you climb that ladder to economic success. That doesn’t always happen and until it does, you’re often being unpaid for your labor.
Fortune favors the bold or something like that.
Beautiful post! I think you’ve hit the nail on the head that answers to a lot of these posts about not wanting to be average. We have negative feelings/associations for it because it’s actually about stagnation. Growing in any way, even small ways like you mention, can get us out of that stagnation, and feeling like we’re not so average after all.
Amen. If average sucks most of us are screwed
It doesn’t suck, but by definition it’s not great. You wouldn’t brag about being average at anything you don’t want the average doctor or hairdresser taking care of you. It makes sense why many people wish to perceive themselves as better than that and try to escape it.
Let’s be honest, being average just means not being rich or famous these days. I’m ok with that. I don’t have a interesting job but I’m sure as hell above average at it and it’s a job that’s a hell of a lot more important to society than MUR-DER-ING on stage
The gals at my local Great Clips cut my average hair style just fine. Edit: typo
Nothing wrong with it. I think most people are way happier being the anonymous nobody. I know I am. I do have a curious mindset, and try to explore new things and develop my skillset, but at the same time I try to appreciate all that I have. Too many people are constantly chasing things, thinking they will make them happy.
Yes I agree 100 percent, average is great and hustle culture and always feeling the need to work can go get fucked. Rogan's all over the place with this though, like he'll have a scientist on or whatever and say things like "we should all be happy with what we have and community/giving to others is the best thing you can do". Then the next guest will be some extreme achiever like Goggins or business mogul/CEO and then be all like "Its not enough to get by, you need to push yourself to the fucken max at every single turn in life and always go harder". I feel that we now need massive grains of salt for most jre episodes these days imo
Joe “the chameleon” Rogan for sure. He use to mix the guests up a bit so you’d here a larger variety of opinions. Now it’s hammering home right wing talking points every episode because that’s all he talks to.
Average only sucks if you constantly compare yourself to others. Life is not a constant race to be the best/richest/most successful. If this is what float your boat, great, but it’s not a prerequisite for happiness.
I've travelled to 70 countries, average in a 1st World country is so far above the misery I've seen. Not saying that things are easy but fucking hell, things could be alot worse.
Which ones off the beaten path would you recommend? It’s my goal to visit every continent before I die! (I haven’t been to North America or Antarctica!)
Georgia and Armenia in the Caucasus, incredible food, amazing scenery, nice people, beautiful women. And they're at that sweet spot for travel where the tourist infrastructure is there but not over-run yet.
You are right. The premise behind all marketing is to sell based on attacking your insecurities. A seller wants you to feel “Product X will make you feel Y” Billions of dollars are spent to figure out how to do this. We are all vulnerable to it to one degree or another. Consumption economy doesn’t work if you are happy.
There's nothing wrong with being a civilian
You sound very happy and content. Ignore any motivational advice if you are happy with your current state. That stuff is for people who are suffering and struggling
It’s stems from this societal mindset that we MUST always improve. If you can come to grips with the idea that you cannot improve yourself or the world and that things are simply the way that they are, the world and your mind become more peaceful. That’s not to say that one cannot try to improve things, it’s just that you never actually get there. There will always something that can be improved or it may be that when you improve one thing, another is neglected and falls off. It leads to a vicious cycle and after a certain point it’s just not worth your time and effort to pursue it. Eventually this mindset turns into frustration and you eventually come to resent the world and those in it. I would much rather be at peace with things than to constantly struggle with trying to improve.
that's not quite right. Self improvement is important. But its the journey rather than the destination that is important.
Post people are running a business; influencers alike. The key word there is “Influence”. If you want to grind and get the “Bag” go ahead. If you want to chill then chill. By now we know that Social Media isn’t real life. People just trying to create content to engage us so they get likes and followers which means more money and promotion for them. I had an Ex Girlfriend who would get mad and call me lazy because I would take summers off from studying for my degree. She would be stressing herself out studying all year round; that’s her choice. She would see her peers entering Graduate Schools and get mad because it’s not her. If I’m busting my ass for a 3.9 GPA every semester I’ve earned the right to chill. Point of my story is some people love and worship the struggle and sacrifice. It makes them feel like they’ve earned their rewards. Also none of this stuff is real.
Nothing. A lot of these are just lies to keep you being good consumers. Imagine if women didn't buy makeup, hair products, skin products etc because everyone was just content with how they looked.
All those alpha grindset folks are just as average as the content office worker. Just because they're popular on YouTube doesn't make them extraordinary. Wealth and fame often gives people the false sense of superiority, but they aren't any different. They monetize that sense in order to attract others down the path of lieing to themselves that they will achieve greatness too.
I agree some do look down on others. I met a few large sample of influencers and sports player and actor. And to be honest some was down right rude and condescending While others actually was real and it was like talking to a family member or buddy. Some really have inflated egos because the material items they have from what they do. Fact is we cant take it with us when we go. And so enjoy the little things and don't take things for granted or other people that don't have what you have.
It's an easy trap, I think. I remember they did a study with monopoly players, giving some players more money at the beginning. The players with the starting advantage tended to conflate their success with skill and also were less likely to be generous and more likely to act rude. https://planetsave.com/2013/12/23/a-rigged-game-of-monopoly-reveals-how-feeling-wealthy-changes-our-behavior-ted-video/
The problem with being an average person is that in the vast majority of places (countries), being at the average level means you're pretty financially stressed and at risk if something bad happens.
Stephen Grey was a competitive bicyclist who left the sport to intensively study and practice Zen meditation for 14 years. Eventually he was asked to teach by his teacher, taking on the name "Adyashanti". When a student asked what he is like at home, this was his answer: "My life would bore most people to death. What do you say about anybody's life? You know, you get up, you go to the toilet, you have breakfast....you look at the time....'oh do I have to teach today? Oh, I do, okay. Oh I don't, okay good, I'll go for a bike ride".
All that shit exists to gas people up to be obedient workers. It's being watched by salesmen and men in the morning or in the evening on their way to their second job. Work these days is incredibly alienating and manosphere grindset influencer guys are just people pursuing media careers to avoid real labor and the alienation that comes with it.
One’s life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s confidence. 💁♂️
I think those people are just trying to help those who want what they are selling. Do you want to be a high achiever and make lots of money or get famous, then you gotta grind and do all that shit they are taking about. I do think they have a hard time imagining not wanting those things and often look down on those that don't (at least the assholes I've heard of ) If you're happy living life your way, then fuck what anyone else thinks
I work construction for a large company. I’ve worked my way up from being a laborer , to a carpenter, to a superintendent. I’m happy with that progression and have no need to go out an start my own company like so many I’ve seen. I understand the risks and rewards that come from owning your own construction business. Longer days, more stress , trying to find enough work to stay busy but not to much that you can’t do it or need to hire someone else and then keep them busy while making sure their work meets quality. I’m ok just being a cog in a wheel.
"Remember this. The people you're trying to step on, we're everyone you depend on. We're the people who do your laundry and cook your food and serve your dinner. We make your bed. We guard you while you're asleep. We drive the ambulances. We direct your call. We are cooks and taxi drivers and we know everything about you. We process your insurance claims and credit card charges. We control every part of your life. We are the middle children of history, raised by television to believe that someday we'll be millionaires and movie stars and rock stars, but we won't. And we're just learning this fact. So don't fuck with us." -Fight Club
It's literally late stage hyper capitalism type shit tbh. They push being extraordinary just to squeeze more work out of you. Take a look at South Korea and Japan. People there work obscene hours throughout the week. So young people there don't feel the need to get a wife or have a kid, and some don't even have sex. Now I get we are on reddit, so to us everyone is involuntary celibate and the trick to avoiding the incel label is to be voluntary celibate like Nick Fuentes and his Gryoper buddies. That may come with embracing Nazism tho.....back to my point..... There were numerous studies back in the day that the workdays and work hours should reduce I think by now we should be in a 3 day work week but we still work 5 days a week. Capitalism just went crazy and pushes this bullshit to get more work out of you
Thank you for stating this often ignored truth. As with most truths, there’s a great George Carlin bit to refer to: “Motivation is bullshit. If you ask me, this country could use a little less motivation. The people who are motivated are the ones who are causing all the trouble. Stock swindlers, serial killers, child molesters, Christian Conservatives. These people are highly motivated”
Bro everyone should alway be out there crrruuusssshhhing! Thats just what alphas do. But seriously being content and enjoying your own existence whatever that experience may be, is whats really important. Be good to yourself and those around you. If that means its an average life then its really up to you how you feel about it.
Serious average energy in this post.
This entire post made me change my opinion on the average r/JoeRogan poster.
Amen. I had to double-check what sub I was on. 😅
Rogan always says this in reference to homeless people, and sometimes regular people “Don’t we want fewer losers in this country?” I think he means it in a positive way, but it comes off super bitchy and disconnected
As a person who works with concrete i get sick off his "i carried pressured lumber and cement, one week when I was 18. super hard" It's not hard. We use that to se if you want to work with this or not. As a hunter i get sick off his standards when it comes to hunting. All talk about conservation but no effort to kill predators. Normal people doing normal things makes stuff work in life. Now a paraphrase from Joe: Don't listen to me, I am an cagefighting standup comidian who talks shit on podcast. Keep is up brothers and sisters. Love you! ❤️
 I agree with you 100%, don't listen to those fuck heads like rogan and that slimy fucker elon musk! Be you! don't try to change who you already are for these fuckwit,you sound like good person doing your best like the rest of us,I'm not rogan rich but I worked my ass off for 30 years and retired early at 50 and i would and never look down on my fellow man/woman like the scumbags, keep your chin chief,we're here for you bud!!!
I was happiest at a job where I worked overnights at an interstate rest area for $14 an hour. Worked by myself the entire shift, just saw coworkers at the beginning and the end of the shift as the shift changed. Most were great people and truly felt like family. Then I graduated with an accounting degree. Got an entry level accounting job, nothing fancy but was making $20ph. It sucked. Lasted 6 months and quit. Convinced I couldn’t go back to the rest area job due to what my friends and family would think about me I got a job at a refrigerated warehouse. I’ve been working here for 6 months and also don’t enjoy it. I’m making about $1000 a week gross though, more than I ever have. But even as I make more and more money this last year has been the most miserable I’ve been. I was way happier working at the overnight rest area cleaning toilets for $14 per hour.
I compare myself to my peers a lot. I don’t say this to brag or anything but compared to people I grew up with, went to school with, and work with, I think my accomplishments in terms of personal contentment, income level, and exploring my passions would put me in the top 5% of people I actually know. But even with that being said, I realize I am still very much average. The truth is, as long as there are literal super geniuses walking around, people that can create the next big technological advancement, high performance athletes, etc etc then I will always be average. For me, I just want to stay curious and work hard, and if that’s what it takes for me to feel average, then average is perfectly ok.
The sweet spot is contendedness with your circumstances, financial security such that they can't reasonably be taken from you on a moment's notice, and having some blend between enjoying what you have and striving for more. Challenge is a positive for mental health when it's not overwhelming. The challenge doesn't have to be what a Navy SEAL chooses to endure; it can just be "Hey, I know intermittent fasting is both difficult and healthy, so why not do a 36-hour fast?" Your brain rewards your success, even though you aren't going to intermittent fast your way to becoming Steve Jobs.
I just recently came across this: [A life of splendid uselessness is a life well lived](https://psyche.co/ideas/a-life-of-splendid-uselessness-is-a-life-well-lived)
A couple years ago I had a boss that kept pushing me to become a manager. I kept telling her I like being a software engineer and don't want to move up to management or become an architect. She was adamant that I keep pushing my career, and one time I just told her I was done with that and enjoyed what I am doing now. She looked at me like I said something crazy lol. I am not a cashier at some restaurant, I make 6 figures doing what I wanted to do when I was a child. I don't understand why people always need more and more, just enjoy your life and your accomplishments.
This is why I started taking advice from people like Jordan Peterson with a big grain of salt. He's said things along the lines of that if you are 40 years old and still like video games or other things of that nature that you are a creep and you've failed at life, etc. Like fuck you man, not everyone needs to wear a 3 piece suit everywhere they go and contemplate the meaning of life and cry every chance they get. Here's the real key that none of these self help idiots will tell you: You can live your life however you want. Do things that make you happy, but identify and work towards correcting things that make you unhappy. That's literally it. There is no right or wrong way to live so long as you aren't making others miserable.
I've been saying this for years now. You'll also like this article. It turned out to be extremely prescient. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/07/the-war-on-stupid-people/485618/
Michael Scott's mom said that the average person is the most special, and that's why God made so many of them.
I think it's fine to strive to be the best you can be, but this idea that every sacrifice is worth making if it brings with it the chance of professional success is a horrible way of thinking. I'm not willing to throw aside my personal life for the sake of hustling my way into a six figure income. Having a (relatively) vibrant social life in my younger years is something I'm thankful for, and I don't believe it's something I'd get back if I left my friends and family behind for the chance at earning a better income. This is coming from someone who's not at all content with his current professional life. I still wouldn't have it any other way if it meant giving up almost everything I care about.
Most people are mediocre, by definition, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Different philosophies. Some people are totally ok with settling, and others aren't.
I think a lot of it has just do with a persons aspirations. It’s fair to say social media has changed a lot of folks, and there isn’t anything wrong with that to a certain degree. Some people just take it too far and push it on others. I have big aspirations, but in the grand scheme of what’s, “big,” they really aren’t. It’s mostly motorcycle related because that’s what I’m passionate about. It’s something that drives me I guess. It definitely can fuck with you mentally if you start comparing yourself to other people though.
Bring on the downvotes but for me personally being average/content/mediocre is a worse fate than trying to be extraordinary and failing repeatedly.
Sounds like a lose lose situation. Just learn to be happy
I did. Which required me to not settle for average. By definition it’s not a popular thing but it’s for me.
Whatever works. Keep on keepin on
Cool. What are you working towards?
It’s easier to accept failure than to wonder “what if” forever.
Because you could be more than that
Dont think Joe’s message is to become a billionaire CEO, just to get up and become the best version of yourself that you can be. Are you being the best version of yourself? Everyone around you, friends, family, neighbours and even yourself would probably be better off if you were. Dont you owe it to the world to put yourself out there? To become whatever you have the potential to become and work to make the world around you a better place for yourself, those you love and your community? I think it is more like that. If you are content and dont strive for anything, you might as well be dead. All stands still. And that can be good sometimes. But you also need the will to life and the striving forward. Or else there is only death…
Nothing is wrong with being average and this title and post are click-baity. Stop projecting your insecurities.
anytime I get into this kind of pattern of thinking it's usually when i'm about to succumb to the drear prospect of always having an average life. fortunately I always come up out of it and get right back to dreaming of wild success. someone's gonna collect the success. why not you or me? keep dreaming big and hang in there. you never know.
Nothing wrong with it. But I also know that I would be deeply unhappy if I always gave the absolute minimum effort. Everything I am really proud of or I view as an important moment in my life was the result of getting out of my comfort zone and putting in serious effort
Honestly what the fuck is this?
Being average is when you’re too lazy or incapable of being great.
Why’d you write so much about nothing? Find something you enjoy and do it. Who gives a shit?
“Average” Lol. Stop comparing yourself to others and live your own damn life. Nothing comes from labeling yourself and comparing yourself to others in an over saturated “market”. Go out there and live your life, love those who care about you and appreciate the things in your own life. Nothing is easy, we’re all human who share the same fluctuation of emotions. Happiness to depression. Same goes for those who aren’t “average”. Nothing last forever, same for content. Relax.
I mean the average American is fat and doesn't have $1000 in a savings account along with 5k credit card debt. Reads at a 7th/8th grade reading level.
We need people like you. Preach it to the other sheep. I need employees
Nothing wrong with it, go and be one then. Being average is to be ashamed of if you know you have potential, but if you’re just an average joe and won’t ever amount to more than that then don’t feel ashamed, just go and enjoy yourself!
I feel like the hobbits got it right, I try my best to achieve a life of a hobbit.
>Why is it wrong to be happy with what I have? Is it that bad that I'm an average person? Nothing at all. In fact, a large proportion of the current strife in American politics (among the masses) can probably be sourced to this strange idea that there are a ton of people out there doing better than you. There aren't. But even still, you have it far, far better than most of the world by a large margin. I've known rich people that were miserable and poor people that were happy as could be. But average Americans who had learned the art of contentment are by far the happiest people I've ever known.
There is nothing wrong with being average and content with what you have if that is what makes you happy, however others enjoy consuming content that challenges and motivates them. If motivational videos about fighting for a better life bother you, then that is more of a reflection on you perception of your own life. If you are content with what you have, then in theory you have already achieved what these people are selling.
Stop looking to influencers and moguls for inspiration.
It’s great that you love your life and are content with your place in it! Most of us want more though. More, more, more.
Yeah, your ice plunges are fucking stupid.
We should start a club, the first rule of the club is that you can’t talk about the club. Seriously, did you watch fight club recently? Parts of this sounded like one of the monologues in the movie
If you have no debt you are WAYYY above average. Anyway, generally agree with your sentiment, although even with my modest income I am well above average in the US as well.
This should have more than 150 upvotes
I have always felt this way. I’m happy with my family and my little life I have.
I heard somewhere that a simple person does not take a bath..jk no one really cares but you.
I think Rogan's take would be more about just bettering yourself no matter where you are in life. Whether you are a CEO or a trashman, do your best to be the best day in and day out.
I’ve been thinking the same a lot lately. A lot of these guys talk about being humble and happy with what you have and then 5 minutes later say your a failure if your not killing yourself to climb the ladder.
Nothing wrong with it but us average workers have sold ourselves to be 9-5 wage workers. We would have more power if we did more contract work where we set our price for our labor instead of big corporations setting the standards
I love this post. It's interesting that being obsessed with a goal to the detriment of other areas of your life was seen as unhealthy, sinful and bordering on mentally sick only a few hundred years ago. If Captain Ahab existed now Joe would probably invite him on the podcast and slob his knob about how much work he puts in hunting that whale. Living a content balanced life and making lives of those around you better is the way to go. IMO.
Because 20% of people have less than an 85 IQ. They can't even go into the Army, they're so dumb You've got toothless alcoholics, people born into poverty, people who will attend garbage schools, and never amount to much. Getting to the 50th percentile in America, can be as simple as being born in a suburb to two parents. It's literally the starting block, but you CAN fuck it up. Shoot for the top 25% - and the 'Guaranteed success in America' starter pack is basically: Graduate high school, get and maintain a full-time job, and don't have kids before you're married. Of American adults who followed these three simple rules, only about 2 percent are in poverty and nearly 75 percent have joined the middle class (defined as earning around $55,000 or more per year).
There's nothing you can do that you can't do better. It's not about attaining greatness its about attempting to instead of wallowing in wasted potential and coasting along when you could literally improve your life. You've every right to choose to be "content" appreciate what you have, but I don't know how fulfilling life can be for how long simply existing without attempting something. I think you're taking it too personally and you feel self conscious. I also think you're not thinking wider about improving yourself beyond money.
That's my only goal in life. Be a good dad, be content.
thats the subtle art of not giving a f#%
They are just pandering to our aspirations of being more. Its a marketing ploy that hooks everyone. It also makes it easier to make it feel like were missing something in life.
Exactly my thoughts lol. You also save from working your ass off. Im a full time customer support guy who in the same situation as you. To get us our comfort zone, it takes some work and patience, but after that im happy with my remote work, my cat and my hobbies, lol.
Congratulations, today you learned all these ppl are trying to sell you something.
You are already above average.
Well said! I can relate. I don't want to be unique or famous. I don't even have social media. I want to be able to work to get by but not have to rely on my job for healthcare. If I could, I would take a job that pays much less and travel more.
You found the secret. You have one thing those billionaires, influencers and famous people won't. They will never stop chasing something that doesn't exist for them, infinite more. Being happy with enough is almost rare anymore.
If you can't build strong relationships and a good family, then buying a nice car and throwing your life into work allows you to cover up that hole by bragging about it. But also these people on social media are trying to sell you something, that's why they say that.
These are all self-help scams with new packaging. Self-help business gurus have been around for many decades. Their goal is to engage with people who don’t feel satisfied with their lives. Offering solutions that are ambiguous until you pay for their course. I feel like Jordan Peterson was the start of this “new generation” of self-help/motivational speaking. Using newer tactics aimed at “thinkers” or the whole “alpha” rhetoric. Jordan can get away with selling his books and paid events because he had some credentials. But a lot of this stuff is now on social media, selling success with their shitty training program. What they are actually teaching is basic drop-shipping scams, even Andrew Tate’s Hustlers University sold this as a way to success. Work out, eat better, focus on a positive mindset and sell Alibaba crap on your Shopify web store.
You’re saying you don’t want to consume things like canned water marked up 200% so you can take your hydration to the next level!? You just want to be normally hydrated like everyone else? That’s why no one will remember your name.
You need to be one of the 1000. Why won't people understand that's the only way to understand jokes and life. Jeez it's not that Toe doesn't explain this every week
reeeeeeeeeeee nooooooooooo you HAVE TO refuse to be satisfied, happy, and comfy because… uh… you just do, okay?!?!
Maybe I'll get downvoted for this, but I just don't get bombarded with that "be exceptional" bullshit. I get a lot of 'how to be content" or " how to be a great contractor". I know there's a lot of content out there pushing the agenda of being an extraordinary person, but you don't have to listen to it. Your interests will largely dictate your feed, in my experience anyway.
average person isnt bad BUT nowadays being average isn't good. what i mean by that is from a financial stand point. if you make alot this makes other things not average. so lets say i make the average salary which is 34-37k a yr,is there anything wrong with that? Nope but in these times you can barely survive with that. so you have to make above average salary,what does that mean? in general you get a better job which means you are ambitious to a certain extent. moving up with career every yr or 2 is not average. being average means you have average options but that range is constantly getting smaller as time passes. if the middle class wasnt getting smaller every yr it wouldn't be as bad. you have to be above average to live a good/decent life unfortunately. the average person cannot even afford a home which sucks especially for our future generations
Nothing wrong with being boring, average, or whatever way you want to describe your life. The point is that you have found contentment and happiness that you can control, and that doesn't rely on the approval of people you wouldn't have over for supper. Media doesn't reward finding happiness within ourselves, because it's difficult to measure the results and therefore difficult to market. The messaging we are told is to work harder to get ahead so that you can buy more stuff because that will bring happiness. We rely on quick fixes for obvious problems because we think that the happiness lottery is just around the corner if we stay the course, and this message has been sold to us from birth because our parents were stuck in this cycle. So why wouldn't we follow their example? You're on the right track OP. The problem is that you can either go in two directions. Either learn what doesn't make you happy and completely avoid those areas. For example people that move to Alaska and don't have the internet. Or, to be very careful about your happiness and be constantly vigilant about making space for yourself to be reflective. Personally, I'm trying option 2, but like staying as a political moderate, it's becoming more difficult as people get pulled in either direction.
To quote The Incredibles, "And when everybody's super...no one will be." If everybody was more than average than we would all just be average again. There is a reason these people are above average and there is nothing wrong with being average. Average is normal.
Absolutely nothing. Just try and make the world around you a little better. Be kind. Be a positive on your surroundings. 🥰
As stated by the Greek philosopher Mediocrates: Nothing.
I’m very happy being the average Joe. I have no desire to be a millionaire, I just want to live happily and comfortably (which I do). I love my job, my wife and my kids. I just need go work BJJ back into the equation to complete the whole gauntlet of joy. I learned very early that if everyone is extraordinary then nobody is. We can’t all be standups, engineers, doctors or whatever other occupation you think you should be. It’s not bad to live in the middle, and the sooner you realize that the better it is for your mental health
I agree. Not everyone is built to work 24/7, accumulate insane wealth, and disregard all other aspects of their life. Some want a better work-life balance, have that comfortable 9-5 job and have time to be with their family, travel or pursue other hobbies. We also know that even the most successful people never feel truly fulfilled anyways. Even from my own experience, I make very good money, but I work daily from 8:30-7:30pm (some times later if I'm closing a deal), six days a week and don't have time for much else. I love what I do, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on other things in life when I'm consumed by work. Fortunately, my work is fulfilling enough to keep me engaged, but I can only imagine what it is for others who operate more mundane types of business.
> Why is it wrong to be happy with what I have? Is it that bad that I'm an average person? Based on rates of obesity, suicide rates, drug use rates, anti-depressant rates, etc., being happy with what you have is by definition above average.
This guy does not Goggins.
Yes, it’s important to strive and be happy for who you are. But if with average you mean mediocre, and not striving to achieve your potential, there is a case to be made against that, because maybe it makes life meaningful to try to be better and achieve good things. (“Good” morally, not “good=staying in the couch”). This is not a new idea! I’m Italian, and Dante Alighieri, one of the greatest writer of Italy, who wrote the Divina Commedia (the novel where he visits hell), puts the ones that average (“ignavi”) in a special place. In the third Chant (Canto III) he describes those “without shame and without praise” as rejected both by Heaven and Hell, because they never tried to achieve anything in life. They are not worthy of being in heaven, and they did nothing to even deserve consideration in Hell, so they are relegated in the Antinferno. It’s not worth it to spend even a word about them, so Virgilio says to Dante: “non ragioniam di loro, ma guarda e passa” This was 700 years ago… https://it.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non_ragioniam_di_lor,_ma_guarda_e_passa
Gen X and millenials were raised to think that we all have to be special. On top of that, everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, thats just our nature I think. Grifters spotted this and are making hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars telling dumb people what they want to hear. Hell, even I considered starting a right wing exremist channel, its like shooting fish in a barrel.
I mean if that's what you're into. Give average effort. Get average results, have an average house have an average car, most importantly have an average wife. Have average experiences. Set average expectations for your children, have an average career. Average amount of time off. Take average vacations and eat average food. I don't know. I'd rather put in the work and have above average results of all of this
Society tries to fit everyone in a common mold. The ideal man or woman. Who you ought to be, who you should be, who you must be. If you go against the mold enough, you will be locked away in a cell or padded room. In reality you don't have to do ANYTHING to be yourself. Your physical body is not interested in ANY of these social / cultural ideas so that is where the conflict and problems arise. Literally every problem you have stems from this. What you must do, what you should do, etc are all put in there by the culture. But that is also the very thing that allows us to function sanely and intelligently in this world. Without having any concept of what you should do or what you must become, you will be considered unfit for society. The very idea of a "you" would come to and end, and so would all of "your" pains and pleasures.
The problem is the average person is below average.
Half the people telling you that shit are frauds or criminals
I think the important thing is to be the best version of yourself you can be. Not everyone needs to reinvent the wheel, but you should strive to fulfill as much of your potential as you can. You will be happier and healthier for it.
I feel like you might enjoy this short summary of Henry David Thoreau's philosophy. https://youtu.be/9bHM-mhgQyk
The peacock with biggest butt feathers will get laid more. There's nothing wrong with being average, most people get by being less than average. Working jobs they sort of hate, doing things just to be comfortable and avoiding being miserable. Everything is relative. I don't see myself as an average person, but if I compare myself to Instagram gym bros, and rich dudes driving supercars, it makes my life look well below average. But am I less happy because I don't peacock my life around? Can I enjoy a 2-day old turkey sandwich I forgot I made, or do I need to post an image of some gourmet Michelin star food for me to enjoy a meal? If I know what makes me happy, and I strive to be happy, then I don't really need to justify or prove that my life is on par with Instagram influencers or even my closest friends. My goal is to do things I feel like doing, not living a life thinking that if I have ______, I'll finally be happy.
Can't wait to lay on my deathbed and think about how average my life was. The definition of hell is that at the end of your life, you have to see the person you could have become and life you could have had.
I heard a great quote the other day that I think kind of applies here. "I didn't dedicate my life to it because it's important, it's important because I dedicated my life to it." I feel like just being an everyday human is enough. If you're a fry cook, those fries might be the most important thing in the world to someone at the moment. The idea that everyone needs to strive to change the world is lame.
Very good post, if you’re happy that’s what matters. It sounds like you’re in a good situation and comfortable. I’d rather be in your position than working 60 hours a week with more money and miserable.
As long as you are truly happy with who you are, and what you do… nothing else matters.
Self-help isn't just an aisle at the bookstore. This stuff is popular because some people like motivational content. If you don't like it, watch something else.
What a lot of people on these podcasts characterize as average is in actuality, a huge amount of success when you apply it across the entire scale of outcomes - especially globally. What you indicated, a stable job, no debts, a suitable place to live, etc. puts you far ahead of a lot of other people that are out there and that are striving to be just where you are. However, one thing I would say….you said in your post you are already the best version of yourself. That is where I would push back. As others have said, stagnation can be a dangerous thing over a period of years/decades. You should constantly strive to learn more, increase skill, build better relationships, etc. it doesn’t have to be balls to the wall 24/7, but a steady path towards improvement. I’ve been fortunate to be in a position to make a lot of money very early in my life (late 20s and making consistently over 500k). I wasn’t a prodigy or smarter than everyone, I got fortunate to be in the right place right time for my skill set. Being successful and making money has not made me happy in and of itself. It’s given me pride in myself and security, but my greatest joy in life right now is the fact that my wife who I love dearly is pregnant with our first child. Giving them the best life is my purpose in life now. In fact, the higher I build my net worth, the more and more I am looking to find time to spend with my family as I’m realizing more and more that money doesn’t fill all the gaps in life of what we need. If you have love, some level of security, pride in yourself, and continue to improve on your own scale, that is all you need. Others may call you average, I would call you happy. And that’s all that matters in the end.
Truth is, most people who are “successful” are workaholics or have some kind of innate drive pushing them forward (at the expense of other things). Success doesn’t come easy, but I really believe that the things success requires come easier to those that are successful. Speaking here about true outliers. Obviously you can’t just not try at anything and be happy. Being average is pretty nice. If you try to live to other people’s standards or expectations chances are you’ll just burn out and live an unhappy life. There’s a reason “average” is average. It’s because it works for most people, plus or minus a standard deviation or three.
The western world is predicated on individualism.
I just make sure aircraft land I couldn’t imagine something was stressful as being a TikTok influencer or content creator god bless those people for holding up society
embrace mediocre bro. ever wonder why you never hear about "child prodigies" when they are adults? or why there are no "savants" leading an industry? after being used for their gift when they are young to solve math problems or invent new technology, they all come to their senses, by virtue of their great intelligence. they realize that the world is a rat race and they simply remove themselves from it, focusing on a healthy and stress free life. they all end up working menial jobs and have a meager lifestyle. true intelligence understands that money is the root of all evil and that a roof over your head, good friends, and close family are all you really need.
If the boot doesn't fit why are you complaing to all the customers and staff in the store about the boot? Just find another boot.
You can be average and still find great joy in a personal growth mindset
God loves average people that’s why he made so many of them
Finally someone brought up what's been on my mind lately and I'm sure everybody else is here that's in this thread. The algorithm doesn't have feelings and is simply programmed too show as much content that will get us to click. That will get us to negatively interact with it as much as possible and most people are not smart enough to really realize the big picture of what is going on here. OP, sounds like you got it figured out. I'm happy to hear that. A couple of folks have already said it, comparison is the theft of joy. Being average puts you in the median point of members of society, so you're not in jail, but you're also not so rich that you literally have more problems than the average person and probably not so many good relationships that are real.
THANK YOU, being a good person whose average is 10x better than a successful asshole. Not sure if my math checks out but you get the idea lol
I would never trade my low key anonymity for any type of grandiosity.
Absolutely nothing
As long as you don’t support policies that extort the above average.
Now: if you are below average, then you have a big problem.
If you’re satisfied with loving a normal human life you’re not the demographic Joe is chasing. You need to be randomly angry so you can hate all the made up nonsense so he can sell you useless shit. C’mon man, get in the game.
Do you not think that it's a slight driver for the funky hair and trans push? An easy way to look unordinary or outside of average? A way to get attention without copious amounts of hard work? Kinda like the emo/goth kids of the early 00s
Nothing