Text: You Played Stupid Games, You Win Stupid Prizes.

Context: Informant details that this proverb was first heard in a Taylor Swift song. Informant commonly uses this proverb when discussing the decisions of others, especially when addressing relationship decisions. Informant describes themselves as being an advisor to many friends when it comes to relationships. When they bring up issues that are centered around making bad decisions, especially choosing romantic partners, the informant relays this proverb. Informant acknowledges that it can sometimes come off as harsh, but understands the necessity of tough truths, especially with people they care for. Informant wants their friends to understand that, sometimes, the best way to avoid troublesome issues is to be more precautious in decision making.

Analysis: I believe this proverb is very fundamental to how the American people view hardships. A lot of people separate themselves from the event, and treat the situation as something that has been, “done to them,” rather than, “done to self.” This is rooted in the tendency of people to not take responsibility for their actions. This proverb provides the wisdom that negative outcomes are likely to come from non thoughtful decisions. This can, and should be, applied to decision making on all scales. The American decision making culture has long been rooted in a “now is better than later” mindset. This means that the quicker decision is the better one, as it allows for action to be taken at a rapid rate. This, however, leads to many unforeseen issues that would have likely been thought of if the decision was made more carefully. This proverb’s importance then becomes as a reminder that the best choice is the thoughtful one.