This is banal but very remarkable
But there’s probably no other way around this.
I first heard this saying “seem dumber than your mark,” (probably) when I was just about to turn seventeen. Your guess is as good as mine. I didn’t understand what that meant until years later.
Sometimes when you hear the word paranoid, something evil comes to mind. You ask yourself why anyone would ever want to live in paranoia — always bearing in mind that someone or something wants to harm them. It’s no way to live, you say, but what if you’re all wrong? By the way, some people are neurotically paranoid (if that’s even a thing), so they just can’t help but be “anticipating of bad stuffs happening.”
The thing is, if you don’t plan to excel, you’re planning to fail. It’s that simple. If you’re planning to excel, you have to not let your guards down. Think this in the context of academia. If you don’t consciously lower your guard once in a while, you may imagine yourself better than everyone else, and sooner rather than later, you’ll miscalculate and that can get you spiralling down to bottom. (Seen where I’m getting with this?)
Sometimes, just force yourself to have the feeling of naivety, to appear dumb. This is as important even in the corporate world where people feed on each other to survive.
— — —
What if I don’t just want to feel naive? Or not appear like a dumb shit?
Okay. First, this is good, because you’re only acknowledging your feelings, which you think might be a problem. The problem is half-solved. The thing you can do if you don’t want to feel like shit is to be “artfully insinuating.” Sometimes say things in an indirect way rather than directly. This way, you plant ideas in people’s mind, giving them the feel of an idea originator when infact you’re the real source of the idea. This is semi-appearing-dumber-than-your-mark. It’s the same concept applied in another way.
And what’s exactly my point with all these? It’s straightforward: choose to live life attentively, rather than drowsingly.
If this writing gave you an upbeat, or resonated with you in any way, I’d love to hear from you. You can use the highlight tool or the comment box — they’re all yours. Sending you love and light!
