I am a big fan of memes. I always try to inject them into my conversations whenever I can.

Cultural idioms like memes are awesome because they provide us with quick references in our conversations or whatever media we are consuming at the time. In Western culture we are so fortunate to be able to receive both visual and written information in a multitude of ways, though I do recognize there are diverging viewpoints on the inherent value of this variety of options. Probably one of my favourite examples is sending a meme to a friend when texting. With a couple of quick key strokes you can share a picture (with text) that gets your point across infinitely quicker than the written word.

And we will need to keep that in mind for today’s topic, because I want to talk about board games. Yes, board games.

Did you know that board games have been around throughout history? Reaching as far back as 3500 BC in Egypt. For real.

Maybe this is simply my personal experience and opinion, but I have always thought that board games are really entertaining because they are both fun and challenging – a great way to connect with others, have some laughs, and potentially learn something about yourself at the same time. Many board games involve both luck and strategy. What I find most interesting about them though is that there are varying amounts of randomness involved.

The polarizing effect of this randomness in gaming has resulted in many variations on existing board game formats and the invention of new ones as well, and especially with the significant growth witnessed in the gaming community since the beginning of the 21st century, there are now copious options when choosing a game to play.

But what does this have to do with memes, dear readers?

I’ve played my share of games (at one time in my life, I was participating in weekly game nights on both Tuesdays AND Thursdays), and I’ve noticed a few things both inside the gaming community and outside of it – haters gonna hate.

Some people like board games, and some really really DON’T. And within the community, when it comes to the luck/randomness factor of board games, some people love randomness and some people really really DON’T.

In case you don’t already know, the phrase “haters gonna hate”, is a vehicle for the idea that no matter what you do, and where you are, you will always run into people who disagree with you and will try to knock you back. Not necessarily because they are envious, but because they simply disagree with your lifestyle choice. So why bother fighting the haters? Accept that they exist, and learn to ignore their taunts.

And here is an interesting fact: the phrase “haters gonna hate” first showed up in popular culture in the lyrics of a song called “Playas Gon’ Play” by 3LW in early 2000.

You should check it out.

It’s catchy and relevant for good life habits. Also, I think there is a neat little correlation between the rise in popularity of board games and the invention of the phrase.

So what should you do about haters if you like to play board games? Or if you have any interest that you are pursuing and are running into opposition? This list below covers it off nicely. See this for Tim Ferriss interview for reference.

1. Focus on your fans

2. Don’t apologize and don’t respond

3. Don’t try to please everybody

4. If you’re doing it right, people WILL be negative

5. Learn to enjoy criticism and be thought foolish

6. Don’t retaliate

7. Take it in stride and keep moving

What it comes down to is really simple, if you like randomness in your board games, then that is perfectly acceptable for you, as there are tons of boardgames out fulfill those needs. Card decks which are pulled form, spinners and timers, and the most common, the six-sided die, are all great examples of that luck attribute.

But if you don’t like those elements, there are a great number of strategic games and social games that employ different methods.

If you want to learn more, boardgamegeek.com is a fantastic resource for this.

I am tapped out on the theories for now, but remember, haters gonna hate. Do not let that stop you from pursuing your interests. What kinds of struggles have you run into recently in the creative arenas? I want to know, so send me an email or leave a comment!

Tim!