Speak Now Regret Later

Speak Now Regret Later

The Beauty of Pointlessness

Michael Inzlicht
Jun 11, 2025
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Even if you know very little about The Big Lebowski, you probably know that The Dude loves bowling. The Dude and bowling go together. They just fit right in there together.

Now I’m no mind reader, but I suspect the Dude loves bowling for its own sake. Sure, he enjoys the camaraderie of Walter and Donny, and the bowling alley is a decent place to get a cold oat soda, but my hunch is that the Dude doesn't treat bowling instrumentally. He does not treat bowling as a means to some other end: he's not bowling to burn calories, network with business contacts, or improve his hand-eye coordination. The Dude gives zero fucks about optimization. I suspect he just bowls and enjoys the simple pleasure of trying to hit pins with a heavy ball. There is no larger purpose.

The rest of us, though? We've forgotten how to be like The Dude. It seems like so many of our daily activities are not done for their own sake, but for the promise of achieving something.

Take the so-called Huberman morning routine. H…

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