I'm Just That Good

“But why, after displaying so much cunning, did he invariably betray himself the moment he came up by that loud laugh?” Although many of Thoreau’s other aphorisms may be more profound, this one has definitely permeated the American character. When Thoreau says this, he doesn’t say why this is the way it is. Instead, he is simply stating the fact by asking a question. Perhaps asking a question is more efficient way to get people to think about it’s meaning, rather than directly saying something thoughtful. In which case, most people would get nothing more out of the aphorism than what is being hand-fed to them.

One answer to his question would simply be that most people don’t wish to enjoy their victories in silence. When a person wins at something, they want everyone to know it: they want satisfaction. Most people would like to stand on a chair, and shout at the top of their lungs “I rock!” Or, if someone made it to the bow of the Titanic, “I’m the king of the world!” It’s the same with the loon. He wanted to loudly mock Thoreau so that everyone could hear. This was obviously not a good thing, seeing as it gave away his position. For those clever people who have figured out that loudly proclaiming their joy at winning is not always the best thing to do in a given situation, all is not yet solved. Unfortunately for them, people will still insist on exalting them, particularly their friends who wish to make it known that they are on good terms with the winning party.

There are many examples of this in everyday life. Every time you see an actor win an Oscar, they are representing this aphorism with their speech. No matter how many people they thank, what they really want to say is “I’d like to thank me, myself, and I,” or “You may have helped me win, but I’m still the one who won.” Action movies can also be taken into account. How many times has a character sneaked upon behind their enemy for a surprise attack, only to betray their position by letting out a loud battle cry of victory? Then the opposing party is able to tell just where the attack is coming from, and they are easily able to dodge. At this