Self-sabotage, Extremism, and the UFC vibe shift.
RWL #438
Greetings from The University of New Hampshire! It’s Spring Break! Woop-woop! Campus is a temporarily a ghost town. My very exciting plans for the week are to come to the office every day. TLW has another month before she emerges from tax hell, so I never do anything during spring break. But the daffodils are breaking through thanks to a few days of warm weather. It’s going to cool down this weekend, and we’re definitely not out of the woods yet in terms of another snow storm, but you can feel the average temperature ticking back up now. I’m thinking I’ll be able to get back out on the water in my kayak in April. I’m happy it's almost spring.
As usual, willing good for all of you!
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Read
What: John Templeton Foundation, Self-Sabotage Is Undermining Your Future. Here’s How to Conquer It.
https://www.templeton.org/news/self-sabotage
Why: How often do I say to myself, I know what to do, why don’t I just do it? I’m a very disciplined person when it comes to work, money, exercise, and many other things. But I’m not good about what I eat. It shows in the weight I have gained in the 10 years since I retired from the Army (about 30 pounds). And now it is showing in my lab tests - I need to cut down my blood sugar and cholesterol. But I really like to eat. The thing is, I know what a healthy diet looks like. I don’t need help in that aspect. I just don’t execute. I even tempt you all with pictures and recipes. This article has some tips on execution. You may not have a weakness for cookies the way I do, but you probably have something you wished you would invest in more for your future self. This article has some tips.
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Watch
What: John Cleese vs Extremism (2 min)
(link)
Why: Satire on the advantages of extremism - “It makes you feel good!”
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Listen
What: The Charles C.W. Cooke Podcast, How UFC Explains the Trump Vibe Shift (46 min)
(link)
Why: The UFC is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It is a professional mixed martial arts competition. It was started in 1992 and has grown to be one of the most popular combat sports. I personally think it will eclipse boxing in the next decade. I may be a bit prejudiced since most of the fighters learn jiu-jitsu as part of their fighting style.
President Trump has made numerous appearances at UFC events and socializes with the UFC leadership. Conservative commentator, Mary Katherine Ham, provides some analysis about how the rise of the UFC and MMA explains the cultural change that Trump has brought (or is riding - depending on how you see it). The culture that surrounds the UFC is one of toughness and comradery. I’m not sure how, given Trump’s lack of any evidence ever of physical prowess, but somehow Trump seems to fit this vibe. What Ham points out is the UFC/MMA culture transcends race - is post-racial in the way that Obama was supposed to be post-racial - it has no time for the preciousness of Wokeness. The UFC/MMA fits neatly into working class culture, which also cuts across racial lines. Trump’s style is working class, despite his wealth. Trump’s politics are fundamentally class politics.
It’s an interesting take. Worth a listen.