Tortoise and the Hare: That Fable Is A Lie

This fable has been lying to us. And our children. It is why we find ourselves surrounded by millenials. It is why there is a sense of entitlement, and it is based on assumptions so far off the beaten path of reality, it confuses us. Hell, we have been indoctrinated by this fable, told that it’s true, and no one has ever questioned it. But it is inherently wrong, inherently biased, and the story basically lies to us by omission. In other words, it leaves out two major components.

There is a mathematical and statistical element the story leaves out, and that is the fact that in this scenario, there are only two options: you can be fast and lose the race, or you can be slow and win the race. The other two statistical options would be that you can be fast and win the race, or you can be slow and lose the race. The best outcome of the four possible outcomes, is to be fast and win the race. But the fable never allows us this option. There should be two more animals in the race.

Why would the fable not afford us these two options? I motion this as a conspiracy to keep mediocrity at the status quo. If you grew up believing that slow and steady wins the race, never believing or even hearing of the converse alternative that slow and steady could, in fact, lose the race, you will be destined for perpetual failure.

And fast, while not always efficient, could lose the race, but what if one could be fast and efficient? That’s a story I could believe in. That’s a story that pushes people to success. Slow and steady always wins the race? Lies!

I nominate the cheetah and the snail as additions to this famous foot race. The snail is slow and always loses against the tortoise. The cheetah is fast and always wins because there is no wasted energy–he is efficient. I want to be the cheetah, always racing to the finish line and slapping the other three with my golden trophy when they finally cross it.

Being consistent but slow is not a quality people look for in a potential job applicant. They want speed. They want speed and efficiency. That’s what separates the mediocre from the talented. That’s the type of thing that gets recognized. We have grown up believing that slow and steady is the desirable course, and it’s not. That sort of thinking will keep you employed but not promoted. Get it? Those of us that have figured out that the fable omitted the other two contenders rise to the top.

The powers that be want us to be middlemen. They need the middle class to differentiate themselves as superior. This indoctrination helps them in that endeavor. But now you know. Be the cheetah and leave your competitors believing that slow and steady wins the race. They can be on the podium with you, but they’ll be a little lower. You’ll have the blue ribbon, and it will be your national anthem they’ll be playing at the ceremony.

Written by

Bill C. Castengera

Author of Shift!

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