The Rubesletter - 12 self-help lessons for cynics
This is the Rubesletter from Matt Ruby. I’m a comedian, writer, and the creator of Vooza. This is a paywalled newsletter. If you’re on the free plan, you’ll still get to read plenty of good stuff, but if you’re a paid subscriber you’ll get exclusive content sent only to those who support financially. Sign up here. Thanks! 12 self-help lessons for cynicsWise life philosophy tips inspired by Michael Lewis, Krista Tippett, Alain de Botton, George Saunders, Robert Wright, Mike Judge, Neil Postman, and more.If you’re a cynic, self-help tends to feel like woo woo wackadoo nonsense spewed by grifters in order to manipulate (and profit from) the naive. That said, every once in a while, I come across some mindful words that make me think, “There’s some real wisdom there.” And then I save it for future reference. Often, it’s not from a person explicitly offering life advice – it’s just baked in along the way. Below are a bunch of these passages alongside my takeaways. Note #1: I don’t always follow the advice mentioned (see: being a hypocrite), but hey, at least it’s somewhere up there in my vault now. Note #2: I guess I’d call myself a cynic (others certainly have), but I tend to think cynics are just disappointed romantics. After all, you have to believe there’s a better way to be in order to be disappointed by reality. Also, I’m almost always right and I feel like that should count for something. 🧠 Don’t try to be famous. Instead, do the crazy/hard thing you love that nobody else is willing to do. That’s where your advantage lies.Inspired by
🧠 We undervalue friendship. Find and appreciate those who see the person you wish to be in the world.Inspired by
🧠 Think of hope as a muscle – and then keep exercising it.Inspired by
🧠 You’ve been lied to about romance, soul mates, and marriage. The real secret to long-term love is finding someone “not overly wrong” and then accepting the things you hate about them.Inspired by
🧠 Capitalism will constantly try to financialize every aspect of your life, but the truly finite resource you should value most is time.Inspired by
🧠 There’s always a tradeoff. When you wish for something, carefully consider the invisible costs to getting it.Inspired by
🧠 Be nicer. Your biggest regrets will be the times you failed to be kind.Inspired by
🧠 Want to be liberated from the tyranny of your feelings? Then stop taking them – and yourself – so seriously.Inspired by
🧠 Enjoy meals. Eating out is the most dominant form of entertainment. If you only do it in your car or in front of a TV, you’re depriving yourself of one of life’s great joys.Inspired by
🧠 In a culture gone mad, acting sane will make you seem like the crazy one.Inspired by
🧠 Expectations are entitlement in disguise. Find the clinging in your mind and then learn how to let it go.Inspired by
🧠 We spend most of our time focusing on meaningless things. Try to exchange ideas instead of images.Inspired by
Enjoy this newsletter? Please consider subscribing and/or telling some friends about it. I’d appreciate it. Comedy🤪 Click to check out my most recent standup clips on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 🤪 Recently on Funny How: Quickies🎯 Watching Friends (or old rom coms) now is astounding because people could just walk around airports willy-nilly and it was no prob. "Do you have a ticket?" "No, but I just realized I'm IN LOVE." "Right this way then..." 🎯 InstaHard, BodEase, Diet Force and oils, tinctures and supplements. Snake oil salesman used to ride into town on a horse drawn carriage. Now they ride in on a podcast. 🎯 Shoutout to victimhood. It's NEVER been this popular. Started from the bottom now we're...even further down and it's NOT FAIR!!!! 🎯 18-34 year olds: "Culture is targeted at us because we're cool, relevant, and move society forward!" It's not that work from home is bad. What's bad is never leaving home and thinking screens are reality leading to an entire society winding up feeling lonely, sad, and disconnected. We need bouncers at home who scream, "You don't have to go to the office but you can't stay here." 🎯 One big issue I have with the psychedelic community is how much it listens to music that sucks. What if I like both shrooms and song structure? The only thing giving me a bad trip is this ponytail playlist chock full of noodly jam bands and synthed out muzak. 🎯 Polio's comeback has The Plague's longtime agent making some calls. Up ahead for paid subscribers: Alex Jones, student loans, 70's decor, Google/Apple controlling your life, Willie Nelson, Tom Wolfe, and how to sing in tune. If you enjoy this newsletter, please consider subscribing... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Rubesletter • by Matt Ruby (Vooza) to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. A subscription gets you:
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