[tempfs]

Everything in this country, in this life, is a competition. One big zero-sum game.

It starts in high school. Social status, academics, athletics, and now social media followers and likes.

I am very glad that when I was in high school, social media wasn't really a thing yet. I could leave it all at school. Just go home and read, play video games or go outside. Most of my mistakes were limited to the memories of those people who witnessed them first hand.

Kids today are under near constant competition with each other and it takes a toll.

At some point, I hope, without some massive existential crisis serving as the impetuous we can collectively come to the understanding that our technology has vastly outpaced our morality. I hope that the prevailing social norm becomes cooperation over competition and the desire to lift others up instead of stepping on them for your own personal gain.

[wolverine876]

> One big zero-sum game.

Not relationships, marriage, work, or community. Even business is rarely zero sum, or the economy wouldn't grow. Generally speaking, business is win-win deals.

[WalterSear]

> Not relationships, marriage, work, or community

I don't understand how you could think any of this.

Relationships? They are absolutely a competition for the young: both platonic and romantic, but especially romantic. Nothing more competitive.

Work? Work is absolutely a competition, for young and old alike.

Community? What else do you think teens are seeking out online?

[geranim0]

It's a competition if you view it as a competition. Yes, it does take time and effort to shift the way you view things, but totally worth it.

[CalRobert]

We've made it in to a competition by creating false scarcities of necessities (mostly housing). If you want a home, you need to be better than your peers.

[reustle]

I agree, but how much time does it take to realize this as an adult? How about as a teenager?

[onesafari]

Status games are multiplayer, zero-sum, hierarchical, judged socially. Get grades, applause, titles now — emptiness later. Natural games are single player, positive-sum, internal, judged by nature/markets.

Seek wealth, not money or status. Wealth is having assets that earn while you sleep. Money is how we transfer time and wealth. Status is your place in the social hierarchy.

Understand that ethical wealth creation is possible. If you secretly despise wealth, it will elude you.

Ignore people playing status games. They gain status by attacking people playing wealth creation games.

(from Naval)

[ativzzz]

I don't know what kind of sterile environment you'd have to live in to play mostly "natural games", and certainly any teenager in any social setting (school) is playing a multiplayer game. Hell almost all humans are playing multiplayer games. Fundamentally, we are social creatures, despite what high philosophy may say

you've edited your post a couple of times so this was a reply to your earlier edit about natural/status games