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Brandon Myers's avatar

Hit the nail on the head JD. I pay for Dirtnap and love the macro / Econ topics, but this is really good stuff too.

Things that make you go hmm…Thanks for the write!

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Al Cheech's avatar

Lust cracks the brain. The hardest 3 words from your spouse you truly love isn’t “I hate you” it’s “you broke me”

While you may have never cheated on your spouse, you could have broken her had you been successful in your cry for help in attempting suicide where there is no coming back from.

Thank God you failed that attempt and I’m sure it was eye opening for you… and you changed, got help, got meds, quit drinking.

But that will always be a part of your past that you can’t change and that is ok… especially because you got help and executed…and helping others in your own way (some of your essays really reached me)

Just as my transgressions are a part of my past that I can’t change. And that is why the serenity prayer is so important

God, give me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.

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Paul Ollinger's avatar

"A man is only as faithful as his options." - Chris Rock

You are, of course, 100% right here, but I think there's a level of fame / wealth / notoriety where the trouble vector starts to point in your direction. It's a lot easier to avoid chaos when it's not seeking you out.

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Mike's avatar

Oscar Wilde: I can resist anything but temptation.

The resistors rarely get noticed and we get lots of bad examples to mock. Guess I better go check the mirror.

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Brad Woolard's avatar

Well done. It's not complicated. It's straight forward.

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Gordon's avatar

I suspect that a lot of these people, and many of us in general, have never paused to analyze what is really important to us. I love my wife, she loves and trusts me, and were I do ever do anything that violated that trust, it would devastate her, and I don't think I could handle that. Thus, I try to stay far away from any situations that might lead to that end.

Many years ago a knew a couple that shared with me that they decided to use only the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) as their guiding principle in raising their five kids. When the oldest kids got to be teenagers, they realized that an additional rule was needed: DON'T DO DUMB THINGS!!

While we may all occasionally break this rule, mostly we should learn from the experience of others, as you pointed out so well.

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Liz's avatar

You mean like the guy who tattooed a crime he committed on his body? He got picked up for something else, then got nailed over the tattoo.

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Gordon's avatar

That is certainly an example. I don't think a complete catalog of dumb things is even possible, but I think most of us, with just a little reflection, will have a pretty good idea if a given course of action is prudent. On the other hand, I have known a LOT of people who don't seem to have that capacity, even as they are getting on in years. Perhaps the "most of us" I just mentioned does apply to the readers of WGGTB, or at least I would hope so!

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Liz's avatar

Agree, people is a state of permanent stupidity do not read anything Jared writes. I did seriously stupid things young which have no chance of happening now.

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Tahoe Joe's avatar

Amen to this. I watched a CEO blow himself up. Wife, kids, job, investors, employees. All those people following you for 5, 10 years. For what? A little side action? And what do you have now?

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Lynda J. Turco's avatar

Thanks for reminding us of the 10 Commandments. We all get pretty far away from Summer Bible School sometimes. A reminder is great. Thanks

Lynda

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Steve Correll's avatar

Jarad, this article was very entertaining and thoughtful. But, you should probably vet the AI you are using for spell/format check. There are several context mistakes in the article: par 3, 5, 7, 10. But, a good article.

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Galynn Ferris's avatar

One person can keep a secret. Maybe two. But if more than two then it is no longer a secret. --- Gibbs Rule #17

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Liz's avatar

Now that I have lots to lose I am far more careful. I will not be alone with other people's children when I tutor unless I know the parents extremely well. I also carry insurance for my business even though it earns very little. I have the business license as well. That reminds me I need to renew.

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Bob X's avatar

Don't worry, Jared, there is no hiding from Epstein anywhere.....and to think, not that long ago, when I heard that name, I thought of the tv show "Welcome Back Kotter".

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Shannara Johnson's avatar

"So unless you are a true psychopath, and there aren’t many of them out there, don’t do things that you will regret—maybe even five minutes later." It seems we're learning now that all the psychopaths are gathered in the US Congress (and, I would add, at the WEF meetings in Davos). :)

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