Coffee With Scott Adams — Knowledge Archive October 25, 2026
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QandA Politics as Persuasion

Back to episode — Episode 968 Scott Adams - Simultaneous Sip Now

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but we interpreted this as part of our job. So you could get this weird not direct evidence of them assuming that there was any kind of a ringleader or ringleaders. I don't think there's going to be direct evidence for them to be involved. I think it will be at most a verbal conversation that could be interpreted two ways. So I don't think you're going to see anybody at a Brennan, Clapper or Obama…

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should be using it as a story. So I wanted to tell you.

Yes you can do it but you have to make it the quick version because okay yes absolutely. Mine always involves a plane crash. I'm always in it whether I'm actually on a plane or just thinking about it walking around. And I'm always, I always survive no matter the scenario. Whether I go into the side of a mountain or into the water. Even when the plane's going down I'm helping people. Like and I'm thinking it's okay because I know I'm going to survive this. I'll always survive no matter the scenario.

Well that is a really healthy and productive view unless it keeps you, unless it makes you do dangerous things. You don't do dangerous extreme sports do you?

No not at all no.

Yeah I like that because that sounds like just a really healthy mindset. It's not really going to impinge on your real world because it probably won't change anything you do in the real world but it'll keep you with that positive mindset. I like it.

Now the only improvement I would offer on that to the extent that you could come up with new stories is one that had more about your own efforts being what keeps you safe. So right now MacGyver type things in my head you know that I how I get off the side of the mountain you know little shorts and a t-shirt or something. Is that the kind you mean?

Yeah yeah. So if you keep your little imaginary story where you're the hero through your own good work and let's say your good work is something you could actually do, something humanly you could do. It might be a stretch but it's humanly possible. And I like where you're going with that.

Okay I'll keep rewriting the story a little bit. Thank you. Thank you.

So for those of you who didn't get the context there, last night I was talking about having stories of your life. And just briefly one of my stories that's not a real story but one that I keep as like an operating system for the rest of my software in my head. It's the thing that keeps me tuned to winning if you will. My story is that imagine I'm dropped onto the island of convicts. It's only prisoners on this island and I'm dropped off from the helicopter. And on day one they beat me up. Day two they beat me up. Day three they beat me up. Day seven they beat me up. I'm just abused and turned into like a human whatever. But if you come back in a year I'm in charge of the island and I've killed everybody who touched me.

So that's the

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story that I keep. Because you could beat me up for a week or two or a month but when I'm done, if I ever get a little bit of traction, if you ever turn your back, if I get the slightest advantage I'm going to run your damn island and I'm going to kill every one of you and you can bet on it. So that's the software I keep in my head that I apply to every situation. Because you come into situations…

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