Hunter S. Thompson’s Best Life Tips

Posted on September 14, 2015 by resourcefulman

Hunter S. Thompson is not exactly known as a saint, and people are not inclined to turn to the drug-loving, slightly obsessed journalist for life advice. However, thanks to his marginalized lifestyle and unconventional outlook, he has provided many life tips that apply to all of us.

Hunter S. Thompson is probably best known for his books Hell’s Angels and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas , as well as his reporting in Rolling Stone, Esquire, Harper’s and others. He also ran for sheriff in Colorado, is known for his drug and alcohol abuse, and eventually committed suicide in 2005. That’s all to say, at first glance, Thompson is not like any of us. taking life advice from. Yet despite all of this, he still had a fascinating view of the world from which we can all draw something , even if it doesn’t directly imitate him.

Define your lifestyle

When we think about what we want in the future, we often think about goals. This type of thinking perpetuates the myth that we must always look for something specific. In a letter to his friend Hume Logan, Hunter S. Thompson suggests a different approach :

So, if you now consider yourself frustrated, you have no choice but to accept things as they are, or seriously look for something else. But beware of looking for goals: look for a way of life. Decide how you want to live and then see what you can do to make a living INSIDE that lifestyle.

Thompson points out that often when we feel frustrated, we look for ways to change our lives through goals. It doesn’t always get us anywhere, because it doesn’t eradicate or change what really matters. To do this, you need a whole lifestyle, and if you don’t know what you want from it, you cannot find the true purpose. Determining what you want out of life is a hell of a lot harder than picking a random goal, but in the end you will succeed.

Explore the world and take risks

We like to think that staying at home, staying in the same job, and being safe leads to a happier life. But for many, this is a recipe for resentment. If you look at Thompson’s life, from acid hikes to bar fights, it’s obvious that the safe was never his preserve. Thompson recounts this in a letter posted to The Proud Highway :

So, we will allow the reader to answer this question for himself: who is happier: the one who withstood the storm of life and survived, or the one who reliably settled on the shore and simply existed?

He repeats this ideal countless times in his writings, but especially in The Kingdom of Fear :

Some people will tell you that slow is good, but I am here to tell you that fast is better. I have always believed in this, despite the fact that it gave me trouble. A cannon shot is always better than a cannon squeeze.

You don’t have to take a lot of drugs to travel out into the world, but breaking away from the metaphorical shore and leaving your comfort zone is an easy way to keep your life interesting without putting yourself in danger. Heck, in some cases you just have to say yes to everything to shake things up.

Take a look at the world from the side

Technically, Hunter S. Thompson was a journalist, which meant that his main goal was to cover what was happening in the world. Many of us like to think that news is objective, but that is basically impossible. Each person’s views on what is happening are slightly different from the views of others. It is hard to find the truthful facts. Thompson knew this, so he inserted himself into his stories, even when it seemed like he shouldn’t. In Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72, Thompson reminds us that we shouldn’t expect this in our news:

Except perhaps for things like final scores, race results, and stock market tables, there is no objective journalism. The phrase itself is a bombastic contradiction in terms.

Most of us don’t try to be journalists, but the idea that an objective, always correct view of the world is a bad idea is worth investing in. Thinking critically is not easy , but it will make you feel better. eventually. Be open to new ideas, explore different statements, and remember that only imbeciles never change their minds .

Make your choice and move on

Every day, we all have thousands of choices to be made. The choice matters, whether it’s a simple lunch choice or a tricky career choice. But we still have to make a choice whether we like it or not, because eventually that choice will disappear. In the same letter to Hume Logan linked above, Thompson reminds us that life is short and sometimes you just have to make a choice and move on: