There's a sucker born every minute!

Too often we believe what we read. We believe what the people on TV tell us to believe. Sometimes we dismiss our doctor's advice and buy into something we read on someone else's Facebook wall. I "learned" how to be a better shot with a rifle because of something I read in a Jack Reacher book. We are more influenced today than ever before.

We are all a bunch of sheep. We believe what sounds the most rational to us and what, most likely, asks us to do the least amount of work.  We take pills because it's easier than going to the gym or facing the fact that we eat too damn much. If it sounds good in our head-then it must be the law and most likely the best and only way...till the next best and only way idea comes along.

It goes way beyond that.

How many times have you listened in on a conversation or been a part of a conversation where we embrace someone's statements as the rule. They don't have to be an expert on a subject, just as long as the information given sounded "right" to us. "You don't need to change the oil in your car!  Oil lasts forever, but the Oil Company and Jiffy Lube want you to believe this so they can take your money".  This sounds right to you because you don't want to spend money and there is nothing "Jiffy" about spending an hour (or more) of your Saturday getting your oil changed. Maybe YOU don't believe this, but there's a sucker born every minute.

Evaluate your day and routine. How many things do you do or believe because of something you heard. How many things do you do because your family did it that way and because of that, it must be the best and only way to do it? When I got married, I was quickly informed of how many things I did "wrong" (insert sarcasm here).  Years of doing the laundry or doing the dishes, without screwing them up, only to find that I was doing it all "wrong". With the use of the two magic words of "I do", my routine and traditions were questioned and scrutinized. Yes, I'm sure my wife sees it that way too.

What prompted this blog? 

While I was checking out at the grocery store the other day, I got into a brief conversation with the check out girl and the guy behind me in the 15 items or less line. The topic?  How long do you need to hold the door for the person entering a building behind you? She said "well, I saw a video on the internet that said it's a rule that you don't need to hold the door for someone that is 10 feet or more behind you". I laughed, but didn't have the heart to tell her that the person behind that viral video, and the main "actor", was me. I guess I was convincing in my role because this girl just communicated that same message to two complete strangers. 

If I can change the routine of the grocery store checkout girl, Imagine what can be accomplish with posting pictures of bad parking jobs and the caption of #Tryharder. Imagine what you can accomplish by sharing your ideas, traditions and perspective with others. Just make sure you use your powers for good and not evil.  Make sure your information is real and based on some facts. If possible, share advice and tips that are meant to better the world around you; because there are already enough people in this world selling snake oil.

#Tryharder