Who Do You Want to Know Better? The ‘Impressive’ Person or the Person Who Can Laugh?
We sure spend a lot of money and time in our efforts to impress others. Is it working?
What follows are the slightly edited comments made by two men on the tram from the lounge to baggage claim at the Las Vegas Airport. Both were sharing their plans on how to approach gambling.
Cool Guy: “When I come to Las Vegas, I always do this–the first night here I concentrate on gambling. I apply my ‘system’–until I’ve won enough cash to cover my airfare, hotel, shows, and meals, maybe a few new electronic doo-dads. Then the rest of the time I just have fun playing around with the casino’s money.”
Definition of a delusion of grandeur: a fixed, false belief that one possesses superior qualities such as genius, fame, omnipotence, or wealth. A delusion of grandeur is a defensive mechanism to battle a fragile sense of ‘self.’
In Las Vegas, a delusion of grandeur is called having a ‘system.’
Regular Guy: “This is my plan. I’m going to go for broke splattering cash all over this town until I’ve won enough money to buy the biggest yacht on the Atlantic Coast. Then after I have that much, I’m going to keep going until I have enough to hire a crew and plop my sparkling new yacht in the blue waters of the Mediterranean. Then with my extra winnings with me, I’m going to sail that yacht along the coast of the French Riviera. I’m going to breeze along in my lounge chair sipping and spilling the most expensive champagne in the world while I check out the castles above the shore. When I find the most gigantic and luxurious castle, I’m going to dock my yacht and march my entourage up to that castle. I will walk right in to that castle and inform the occupants that they are out. (Thumb over his shoulder.) Then I am buying their castle . . . price doesn’t matter . . . because I’ll still have plenty of money from what I win on my weekend in Las Vegas.”
Which guy would you really like to know better? As it turns out, getting to know new people isn’t as hard as we thought. We don’t have to buy all the props or even be buff or skinny or old or young.
We just have to be able to laugh at ourselves. Anyone can be that regular guy. All we have to do is lighten up.
Remember, life isn’t worth living if you don’t take it seriously. Life isn’t worth living if you only take it seriously. So giggle. Keep the others guessing.
