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In keeping with my family's affection for doomed product lines and hexed formats, we purchased a Betamax. The year before, we'd bought a TRS-80 instead of an Apple II, and in due course we'd unbox Mattel's Intellivision, instead of Atari's legendary gizmo. This was good training for a writer, for the sooner you accept the fact that you are a deluded idiot who is always out of step with reality the better off you will be.
Colson Whitehead
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Embracing one's poor choices in technology reveals deeper truths about acceptance and personal growth.

Colson Whitehead humorously reflects on his family's history of choosing inferior technology over more popular options, suggesting that recognizing and accepting one's mistakes is a valuable trait. This awareness of one's 'deluded' decisions can be comedic but also serves as a life lesson that everyone makes mistakes, and acknowledging them can ultimately lead to personal growth and resilience.

Themes

TechnologyMistakesAcceptanceHumorGrowth

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about personal failures, this quote can lighten the mood and provide insight.

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Early on my career, I figured out that I just have to write the book I have to write at that moment. Whatever else is going on in the culture is just not that important. If you could get the culture to write your book, that would be great. But the culture can't write your book.
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Part of being in New York is being able to brag about what used to be there.
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