This Mindbender is cool
November 20, 2024
We’re a little over a week away from Thanksgiving, which means food, family, and . . . fighting?
A poll found 40% of families deal with what they call “open disagreements” around the holidays.
The top four things that spark the arguments:
- Politics (duh)
- Family dynamics and past grievances (sounds like a certain Seinfeld episode)
- Relationships
- Finances
The poll also found a third of these arguments escalate into “lasting rifts” that go on for years.
Sing it with me: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!”
Let's get on with the countdown.
Along with today's Mindbender you get these bonus stories:
Men crying
Too old to learn?
Retaking your driving test
But first, today's Mindbender:
A survey asked, “Who is the coolest animated character of all time?” This was the #1 answer.
I'll have a clue coming up.
Men crying
There are some movies that are just guaranteed to make people cry.
And within that category there’s a subset known as Guy Cry Movies. These are the films with more masculine subjects, but they reduce men to tears.
One website has tried ranking them. At #1 they put “Furious 7,” which is the one where they said goodbye to Paul Walker’s character after his death.
Others on the list include:
- “Armageddon”
- “Good Will Hunting”
- “The Shawshank Redemption”
Those are fine, but I’ve got two that GET ME EVERY TIME. I cannot watch “Field of Dreams” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” without blubbering like a baby.
It doesn’t even help that I’ve seen them multiple times. In December, I’ll cry again when I watch Jimmy Stewart’s little brother come in and declare him the richest man in town. Sorry, just will.
Too old to learn?
Do you feel like you’re too old to learn something new?
A survey found more than a third of Americans feel that way. And it wasn’t just Boomers saying it.
In fact, three out of four Boomers say they LOVE learning new things. They say it’s more rewarding now than when they were younger.
(Oh yeah? Then why can’t Aunt Cheryl figure out cut-and-paste?)
According to the results, however, the best age for learning new things, on average, is 26.
Here's a clue for the Mindbender:
He pimped out his little house for Christmas long before Clark Griswold ever strung a single light.
Retaking your driving test
Speaking of generations: Should people have to retake a driving test once they reach the age of 50?
A study in Australia found it made the roads safer.
According to their stats, 19% of all fatal crashes involve people under the age of 25. But 21% involve people over 65.
They say it’s not just about eyesight and overall reaction time getting worse, but also about bad driving habits that set in over time.
After more than 30 years, some of those bad habits become set in stone.
So people are asking: Should everyone have to take a refresher course, even if they’ve never been in an accident?
You may have seen the poll that came out in October where a quarter of Americans said they’re not sure they could pass a written exam.
Good luck out there.
And now, the answer to today's Mindbender:
Who do people think is the coolest animated character?
Snoopy.
Very old school.
But how can you not love him?
That'll do it for today's Mindbender. Thank you for being part of The Club.
Enjoy your day!
Dom
At the Festivus dinner, you gather your family around and tell them all the ways they have disappointed you over the past year.