Review: Enjoyable, but short
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 6, 2014
The idea behind The Comparing Game is fairly simple. Our view of the world and of ourselves is grounded in an experiential basis (ie. what we have seen, experienced, believed, or learned). Naturally, that experiential basis is a very personal thing, and as such, we form ideas of our self-worth by comparing ourselves to societal norms and expectations and to the people we see. In other words, how we see ourselves is directly tied to the comparison between what we think we have accomplished or experienced, and what society thinks we should have accomplished or experienced.If one is familiar with the idiom, "Keeping up with the Joneses," you will understand what "The Comparing Game" is, in the most basic sense. However, the "Comparing Game" is actually more than material wealth or possessions, but it is also reflected in the way we judge others (and thus, ourselves) in regards to attractiveness and beauty. This judgment is generally so subconscious that we never realize the extent to which we do it. When one stops to think about it, comparing is something we do almost every minute of the day. And, even though it is so commonplace and natural to want to compare ourselves to others, it generally doesn't lead to positive results.What this book tries to do is explain, in detail, the ideas behind why we make comparisons, what the costs and consequences of those comparisons are, what the negative implications are of constantly comparing ourselves to others, and how one can change their mindset such that they no longer get their self-worth from comparison to others. There are also case studies presented throughout the book which illustrate the points that the book is trying to make, and I found these case studies to be very helpful.On the whole, I found the book enjoyable, but I had a small problem. Frankly, it's rather short. It's roughly 40 pages, which means you can read it in a single, short sitting. I would have liked to have seen the ideas explored a little more in depth. The shortness issue is really unfortunate, because the ideas are really interesting and I would have certainly liked to have read more about them, even at the expense of brevity.Overall, though, the argument against comparison is compelling and complete, albeit brief, and if you can look past this small issue, it's an enjoyable read and potentially life-changing.