[Image] How to not be hard on yourself

To expose many of these and other "motivational" bumper-sticker sayings/posters as the vacuous platitudes that they are, I like playing the "Even If You're Hitler?" Game:

"EVEN IF YOU'RE HITLER?"

"There's no right way to do anything"

I'm pretty sure there's a right way to carry out genocide (i.e., by not doing it).

"Part of your mistakes are part of your learning."

Hitler didn't learn shit from invading Russia.

"Accept your weaknesses as your 'features'"

I'm pretty sure "genocidal dictator" is not a "feature" but a weakness.

"Don't underestimate your talent until you apply it 100 times."

Um, I'd rather not Hitler apply his "talents" any number of times.

"Don't compare yourself to others because you are not them."

I think I'd rather be somewhat nice if Hitler compared himself to others--namely the Slavs, Jews, homosexuals, etc.--in order to see himself and his own humanity in them.

"Every single problem you have is not unique."

If you're Hitler, I sure as hell hope your problems are unique.

"Look at your past as an adventurous biography."

With a picture of Darth Vader being rather ironic, certainly Hitler also saw himself as in a "grand narrative."

"Intelligence is relative. Self-esteem is not."

That sounds like something a eugenics proponent would say...

"Express your anger in a creative way."

Like building a Third Reich in response to punishing reparations in the Treaty of Versailles?

"Stand up for what you believe, even if it's unpopular."

...Even if you're Hitler?

"Surround yourself with people who want you to succeed."

...EVEN IF YOU'RE HITLER!?

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