If you don't recognize this cartoon I am deeply sorry for the empty black space that was your childhood. Tom and Jerry was one of my favorite cartoons growing up; I spent countless Saturday mornings sitting on my dad's lap in his cobalt blue La-Z-Boy, and I always had to be on his left side because I claimed I was "closer to your heart this way daddy." I loved watching Tom cat chase Jerry all around that house, always getting outsmarted at his own game by the little mouse. It was exciting because there were always new tactics Tom would use to catch Jerry, but they never worked. Because if they did, the show would be over. Tom would eat Jerry and be satisfied for a few minutes until he found something new he wanted, or became hungry again. Theoretically speaking, if cats could think, as soon as he spotted something else he wanted or felt hunger pangs, he would realize that he spent years chasing something that was beneficial to him for only a fleeting moment. This show is a perfect representation of how people act on a daily basis.
We act this way towards other people, and the worst part about it is we usually have no idea we are doing it at the time. More often than not, we find ourselves feeling interested in someone and convince ourselves that what we feel for them is genuine and worth pursuing. But in reality, we are only interested in the chase. We put so much effort into convincing this other person we are worth being with, and when they finally give in, we realize they aren't anything special to us anymore, and they never really were. The chase was never about making them feel wanted or appreciated, it was about the satisfaction we get from knowing we can do something right and be wanted in return. How fickle and selfish. Before you convince yourself that this new person you're interested in is the bees knees and the cats pajamas, and totes worth all your money, time, and lies in an effort to win them over, think about it one more time. The outcome isn't fair to either of you, and the void you're filling is one that gets empty again very fast.
Will Smith said it best: "Too many people spend money they haven't earned, on things they don't want, to impress people they don't like." We waste time, money, and emotions chasing and trying to impress people for the stupidest reasons. We go shopping for the latest trends just to get people to look at us so we can find satisfaction in knowing that someone out there is jealous of something we have. A wise female thug with pink hair once said "I let my haters be my motivators." Ha! What a sad life, and we all kind of live it to an extent. We have to buy a new outfit because so and so will be at a certain event this weekend. And if they're gonna be looking at you, you best give them something good to look at! But you know you'll be back at the store next week buying more new crap you don't need. If you really want to go through life buying new cars, pretty clothes, and getting your hair done to impress people that hate you, be my guest. You are disregarding the fact that your real friends take you as you are: kind of a weirdo, wearing a wrinkled tshirt, and not in debt.
You don't need useless crap to make you happy or worthwhile.
So go ahead and rack up that AmEx with ridiculous things. Spend an hour and a half getting ready for a date with someone who doesn't give a damn about you as a person, only what you can do for them. Wear that new outfit to a party where you will stand in a room with tons of people you don't want to be around in the first place. Take pictures of your new hair and put them on facebook and sit all day in the glory of getting seven likes on that photo. You are really winning at life.
Reevaluate your priorities and get back to me on if you're really happy or not.
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