February 10th, 2009
Are you a true winner in life, or just a company man? Does you work promote enjoyment in life, or are you a slave to wages? Looking about your job in a 2×2 might make you stop and think…
In one corner, we have the “Winners”. Those who make a great salary AND are fulfilled by their jobs. They generally have broad respect, control their destiny, could move from company to company, and get to pick and choose their activities.
The “Creatives” have similar traits to the winners — they get enjoyment from their job, and generally get to pick their projects — but the similarities certainly don’t extend to their salaries.
The “Company Men” make up the vast majority of the middle class. They make a decent living, but frequently find that they are not fulfilled by their jobs. Company men can become Winners, but usually they just want to get drunk.
Sorry to be harsh, but if you have a low paying job that has no redeeming qualities, you may be a loser. Think about how you can get more creative, or at least a bigger salary. And as an aside, is being a blogger the new “poet”?
Wherever you are, the goal is - as always - Up and To the Right!
3 Comments | In: 2x2, Humor | | #
February 7th, 2009
Why is it that the smartest kid in the class rarely becomes the millionaire? Perhaps because intelligence alone is not a determinant of success. Rather, it is a factor that has to be matched with others — like making the right choice:
Sure, the people who took TARP funds or created the Segway were smart, but they made some poor choices along the way. These people fall into the quadrant we call “unlucky”. They had the raw materials for success (brains), but couldn’t close the deal.
On the other hand, everyone knows that buying a lottery ticket is like flushing your money down the toilet (Losers), but for the lucky chump who actually wins, he made the right choice (we’d call him blessed).
Lastly, and most importantly are those in the upper right quadrant. Those are the titans of fame and fortune who were able to apply their brains at the right time with the right idea to be in the winner’s circle.
Up and to the right!
1 Comment | In: 2x2, Humor | | #
February 7th, 2009
Up and To the Right!
The 2 by 2 Manifesto
1. Life is not black and white
2. Actions and words speak equally loud
3. Everything can be viewed as a 2×2
Life is not black and white: Your place in the world should be observed relative to others. You might consider yourself as “smart” or “rich” or “ugly” or “pious”, but you are not — at least not compared to someone else.
Actions and words speak equally loud: You can no longer get ahead on merit alone. Where you stand in life is now determined as much by what you say as what you accomplish.
Life is a 2×2: Each facet of life can be viewed as a 2×2 (2 by 2) chart. To improve your lot in life, you must understand what the terms of competition are, and where you stand.
With a goal of constant improvement, you should embark today on a strategy to move “up and to the right”!
No Comments | In: 2x2, Humor, Self Help | tags: 2x2, manifesto. | #
August 21st, 2006
I don’t watch much TV, but I try to catch 1 hour of priceless comedy each night - the back to back entertainment of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Based on this week’s Singularity coverage on Comedy Central, I can only assume that our little concept is approaching escape velocity.
It was a banner week for The Singularity on Comedy Central. First, Ray Kurzweil was featured (skewered) on the Daily Show as an interviewee of investigative reporter Samantha Bee. Her “Futureshock” series was quite entertaining - and though Ray looked a bit out of sorts, he was certainly a good sport to take one for the team.
View the video here: http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=73422
The next day, Steven Colbert featured theoretical physicist Janna Leven. Dr. Leven held her own ground as she and Colbert discussed The Theory of Everything, unicorns, and her new book about the Turing Machine.
Her video is in 3 parts starting here: http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=73484
No Comments | In: Humor | | #