Stupidity is the Devil’s favourite demon.
It wreaks havoc here on Earth so he doesn’t have to leave the comfort of his fiery home. Despite evidence of the contrary, we all use our brains. But many of us haven’t learned to think effectively.
Have you ever looked at someone wondering how they were that stupid?
Scary to think you’ve probably been that in someone else’s eyes.
I had a client named Mike who was an Aeronautical Engineer. He shared a cool fact about how planes work. I took it at face value. Then he told me he doesn’t eat breakfast to delay his metabolism starting. Like tires screeching coming to a halt, I paused.
I hope Mikey boy can fly metal across the world better than he understands basic human functions. Your metabolism stops on only one occasion — your death. The old bugger is alive despite himself.
If you use social media, you see a lot of awful opinions from people who don’t question themselves.
Reliable Fitness Advice
Why bother seeking help from professionals? Just go to where real experts lie — the comments section. If we ever have a worldwide pandemic, go there. A calm, thoughtful, respectful sanctuary of the greatest minds on Earth filled with expertise and credibility.
On second thought, being correct and being spectacularly wrong feel exactly the same.
What were you once certain about that you no longer are? More importantly, what lesson did you carry forward? There’s no shame in being wrong, especially when humility is gained.
Stupidity spreads when ignorance meets confidence. It masquerades as knowledge. The wise revisit their beliefs often. The ignorant don’t suspect any reason to do so. When something sounds entirely correct, be most wary.
Concepts should be simplified, not oversimplified.
Sugar is painted as bad which initially sounds logical. But when you consider eating disorders involving chronic anxiety around food, the sentiment deviates towards harmful. Sugar is indeed hyper-palatable and easy to over-consume. It can also make you want more when your diet is devoid of nutrients.
But if you are a diabetic and hypoglycemic, sugar will save your life.
It’s a health hazard and a life-saver and it’s the same substance. Is it still bad? In one context, yes. In another, no. When a statement can mean anything, it means nothing Is bottled water expensive? Compared to tap water, yes. Obscenely. Compared to cola, it’s cheap. It’s better for your teeth too. That’s why it’s both a rip-off and a cheaper alternative simultaneously.
Chocolate is a food adored all over the world. Yet many seem to think it’s inherently harmful. They think it’s “fattening”.
So, is it the source of weight gain?
How much are you eating? A square? A bar? A packet? The whole factory? A fattening food does not exist. The devil is in the dose. A spilt cup of water doesn’t cause the flood, but a burst dam does. Same substance. Different quantity.
Is lying unethical? If it’s the vehicle of communication in interpersonal relationships, yes. But if a burglar in your home asks you where the carving knives are…. You get my point.
How to Make Informed Fitness Decisions
Moving on. If you spend five minutes in the online Nutrition space, you’ll be told to avoid chemicals. Dihydrogen monoxide is a potent chemical that kills many yearly. It’s also the chemical name for water. A chemical is how something is made up. You can spin any statement to suit a narrative.
It’s a good idea to eat whole foods. They’re generally less processed — the nutrients have not been removed. This gets conflated with “Avoid artificial ingredients. Stick with natural.”
Arsenic is natural. Will you sprinkle it in your morning orange juice? I suggest you don’t. The additive you’ve been told to fear is a bazillion per cent less potent than mother nature that will, in this instance, kill you immediately.
Education is expensive, but ignorance is costly.
Investing is risky, but not investing devalues your money in the long run.
A knife looks different in the eyes of a chef and a thief.
Dig deeper, always.
Unrealistic claims, miracle cures, quick fixes , lack of evidence and misleading information are all part of this.
Ask “In what context? In what quantity? In every situation? Compared to what? Compared to who? Compared to when?”
The standard of living is difficult for many right now. But would you go back 100 years or more? Everyone sees the world through their perspective. What seems obvious to you might be life-changing to another. What makes you happier is someone else’s nightmare.
A statement without context is as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
Is $1,000,000 a lot of money?
For most people, it would change their lives. If Cristiano Ronaldo woke up with that amount, he would throw himself out the window.
Something can be wholly true and harmfully false at the same time — a bit like Schrödinger’s cat.
Should I eat this cookie? If it’s my fifth, probably not. If it’s my first time doing so guilt-free, it could enrich my life immensely.
Where you go next depends on where you are now.
Most conflict we face with ourselves or with others comes from a high degree of certainty in our own opinions. We feel 100% right and they are 100% wrong. Oh, dear.
In a different way — and still worth mentioning — most of your insecurities won’t register in the minds of 99% of people you meet. You’ll waste cumulative years ruminating on foibles that others can’t see because they’ll be torturing themselves in the same way.
You can use this perspective to be a little gentler with yourself. Being privy to shared human struggles means you’ll recognize them in yourself.
Getting in your own way
Beware of the trap of your own bespoke bullshit.
Many of your opinions were formed in a two-minute muddle in your mind at one specific moment and have not been re-evaluated. Unbeknownst, you’ve decided it’s the hill you will die on.
How do I know all this? Because I’m writing to myself. Younger me. Stupid me.
These are my thoughts. Maybe you can see a little of yourself in my mistakes.
