Is it better to surround yourself with people who are better than you, or worse off than you?
Take for example the adag - in the land of blind men, the one-eyed man is king.
Similarly, Garfield once said of Odie, "If you want to appear smarter, hang around someone stupider." But on the other hand, Newton (or was it Merton?) once said, "If I have seen farther, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
Should we surround ourselves with giants in order to see farther? Or would we see just as far if we were surrounded by midgets who we could see over?
Please weigh in on this.
I ask because a friend is considering moving to the edge of a meth-fueled trailer park and we are trying to decide if it makes him white-trash by association, or classy by comparison.
As with most questions in life, there is no real answer here. But let’s bring it back to me since I am my favorite subject.
When I was in college I dated a guy who, my friends later advised, was quite the megalomaniac player. Looking back, I guess that was the real reason that I felt so confident when I was with him. It lends a nice dynamic to a relationship when you can fall asleep every night knowing you are better than the other person.
On the flip side, I had to get my first STD test because of him. So there are plusses and there are negatives. (I'm kidding - I've never had an STD. Give me a break.)
Multiply this scenario by 1000 and we have my friend’s current situation. There are literally hundreds of STD tests waiting to happen, right outside your front door. Would it be nice to walk outside the trailer door every morning, stretch, brush the hypodermic needles off the makeshift porch and pick up your newspaper like a king overlooking his land? It sure would. But science proves it’s only a matter of time before you join everyone else for Friday Night Animal Torching. That’s how all great empires fall – when their king is mistaken for a stray dog by a raging methhead.
So my vote here is – people rise to the level of expectation. Surround yourself with better as you’ll eventually assimilate. Always, always go bigger. And that’s a rule I apply to anything
10 comments:
My vote is that I don't have enough information!
Why is he moving there?
And yes, we need to be around those that excel at whatever, but if we only surround ourselves with equal or bigger, then how do we influence those that aren't?
What if your friend moves there, it's not ideal, but there is this kid, or hell, an adult that see's him and is inspired to do better?
On what grounds is someone better than another person? I've met plenty of people that are "better" and that "excel", but they are also very aware of it. Not very good at showing the love!
Since I'm successful at owning the house, does this mean I shouldn't be around the homeless at all?
Or, I'm also better at not being overweight. Overweight people get away, I only hang out with those that excel.
I have found STDs supply a LOT more pusses than minuses... of course that does not come from experience, just research...
Seriously, people will end up being the average of the 5 best friends they know, so if you are surrounded by meth heads... your odds of exceling drop
"Brush the hypodermic needles off the makeshift porch" haaaa haaa!
I think some people are taking your blog to seriously. They need to keep reading to have an idea of your sarcasm.
This was funny! Keep it up!
Bigger is better.
Always keep good company.
Go big or go home! HAHAHA! Had to laugh at the STD's. Funny how something not funny can become funny. Oh, memories.
Find the trailer at the beginning of the lot, it's closer to the exit.
I see this with training. I only got faster in the pool by swimming with a former college swimmer. We need people to push us, but physically and mentally!
I'm short so I hang around with midgets to feel better. I'm a small "b" cup so I hang around with the large "a"s. I buy clothes at Target so I hang out with the goodwill crowd. Just how I roll.
I think a trailer park with torching sounds good.
Flashes of bay county kept on flashing through my mind reading this post. :)
Better is better. It is more motivation for me to be chasing someone than to be chased. Unless of course I am being chased my a meth-fueled, STD carrying zombie.
I had to look up megalomaniac
LOL @ Matty O.
I totally agree with you about being around those that are better, you will rise to the occasion (happening to me now at work)
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