My Life Hack For The Crazy Times We’re In

It’s All About Curiosity

Folks, I’ve found the ultimate Taoist elixir for dealing with these chaotic, frustrating, absolutely maddening times we’re in.

Wanna hear it?

It’s called CURIOSITY

No, I’m not talking about the mild, Sunday crossword kind of curiosity. I’m referring to the kind of unhinged, relentless curiosity that turns life into an art form—the crazy art of inquiry, if you will.

My approach? Ha, glad you asked….

Pummel friends, strangers, and unsuspecting bystanders with philosophical questions about the human condition.

What does it mean to truly live?

Why are we all so bad at it?

And while we’re at it, can you even call those “fries” if they’re air-fried?

My favorite venues for these intellectual ambushes? Well, they’re Lyft and Uber rides—because where else can you trap someone into deep conversation without violating some kind of social contract?

Driverless cars? Not for me. No AI chauffeur can tell me how the rising cost of avocado toast is driving their side hustle.

Then there are cocktail bars. A good bartender will have their finger on the pulse of the human spirit (and yes, I mean both existentially and in mixology).

They’re part confessor, part sage, and they know what’s really going on in the world—not the Instagram-filtered version, but the raw, uncut truth that pours out after a Dark and Stormy cocktail.

And coffeehouses?

Well, I consider them sacred spaces, and not just because I’ve consumed enough dirty chai lattes to vibrate into another dimension.

The jazz musician John Coltrane understood the cosmic connection between caffeine and soul-searching when he gave us the “ A Love Supreme.” I like to think he was pondering Taoist oneness over a particularly strong cup of java.

But what would Zhuangzi, my Taoist spirit guide, have to say about this guerrilla-style inquiry into humanity? He’d probably chuckle, sip his tea, and tell me not to take myself so seriously.

He’d remind me that the answers I seek from others are merely reflections of the Tao itself—flowing, shifting, and often found in the silences between words.

So here’s my challenge to you, dear reader: next time the chaos of the world feels overwhelming, put your phone down and pick up a question.

Strike up a conversation with the Uber driver or the person at the next barstool. Let their answers surprise you, entertain you, maybe even annoy you.

Gain bread crumbs of wisdom and fresh perspectives, but remember this: the ultimate answers lie not in their stories, but in how they reflect back into your inner self.

Because in the end, curiosity isn’t just an antidote to frustration—it’s a way to thrive in the beautiful, messy absurdity of being human.

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Diamond Michael Scott — aka The Chocolate Taoist

chocolatetaoist@proton.me