Dan Gets Angry

You wouldn't know it from reading my columns, especially the dating ones, but I don't give often advice to people.

There are a host of reasons for this from my belief in letting people make their own decions to the fact that a lot of times, I have no idea what people should do in any given situation.

Every once and a while though--if someone asks and I'm feeling smart--I'll do it.

Some people take what I have to say under consideration and make their own decisions.

Those are my favorites.

Occasionally though, I will have people reject my suggestions--whether it's on relationships, comedy, or one of the two or three other things I happen to know something abou--as being 'trite' or 'cliche.'

They're usually right. I don't think I've ever given anyone advice that hasn't been said a bazillion times before.

But often the reason those things are cliche is because they're absolutely true.

What boggles my mind though, is that even though people have heard this 'stock' advice before a million times, they STILL won't do it. And then they wonder why they're miserable.

Even more mystifying, they then start to blame the advice. "That's cliche. That's trite."

It's like a guy going to the nutritionist and complaining that being told to excercise and eat properly is cliche. Well, yeah. It's also what works. In fact, as far as I know, it's the ONLY thing that works. What's the guy supposed to tell you?

Oh, You want SPECIAL advice. Because you're DIFFERENT from other people. Fine. Eat nothing but foam packing peanuts for fifteen days. See what that gets you. Hey, at least it isn't cliche, right?

I'm starting to think some people don't actually want to know a solution to their problems. What they want is for people to tell them a way they can keep doing the same stuff they've always done, yet magically get different results.

This was more of a rant than I expected. Good for me. It's honest though, and honesty about what upsets me is good for me and the people around me.

Or maybe that's a cliche.

Upcoming Comedy
Monday, June 22 - The Comic Strip, Edmonton

Other Appearances
Saturday, May 23 - OSCW: Rumble in the Ring - Hazeldean Community Hall, Edmonton

Writing
Dan Brodribb's Geek Love appears regularly on the Suicide Girls website. Current article is here.

Dan also writes on wrestling for worldwrestlinginsanity.com. Current article is here.