people still talk like this... they do.

In every game and con there is always an opponent and there is always a victim. The trick is to know when you're the latter, so you can become the former.

It's very simple. You do all the hard work, I just help you along. The art is for me to feed pieces to you and make you believe you took those pieces, because you are smarter and I am dumber. In every game and con there is always an opponent and there is always a victim. The more control the victim thinks he has, the less control he actually has. Gradually he will hang himself. I, as the opponent, just help him along.

The formula has infinite depth in its efficacy and application, but it is staggeringly simple and completely consistent.

Rule one of any game or con: You can only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent.

Rule number two. The more sophisticated the game, the more sophisticated the opponent.

If the opponent is very good, he will place his victim inside an environment he can control. The bigger the environment, the easier the control. Toss the dog a bone, find their weakness, and give them just a little of what they think they want.

So the opponent simply distracts their victim by getting them consumed with their own consumption. The word "snake" springs to mind. Don't knock it. You only get smarter by playing a snake.

The bigger the trick and older the trick, the easier it is to pull. Based on two principles. They think it can't be that old and they think it can't be that big, for so many people to have fallen for it. Eventually, when the opponent is challenged or questioned, it means the victim's investment and thus his intelligence is questioned. No-one can accept that, not even to themselves.

There is something about yourself that you don't know. Something that you will deny even exists, until it's too late to do anything about it. It's the only reason you get up in the morning. The only reason you suffer the shitty puss, the blood, the sweat and the tears. This is because you want people to know how good, attractive, generous, funny, wild and clever you really are. Fear or revere me, but please, think I'm special. We share an addiction. We're approval junkies. We're all in it for the slap on the back and the gold watch. The hip-hip-hoo-fuckin' rah. Look at the clever boy with the badge, polishing his trophy. Shine on you crazy diamond, because we're just monkeys wrapped in suits, begging for the approval of others.