My Reflections on Ruthless Thinking: Life, Power, and Survival

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Written by: Dominic Kristan, Principal Market Insights Manager
Date: August 27, 2025

The more I observe, the more I realize: pain comes from not understanding people, and poverty comes from not understanding the game of power and business. The world isn’t hiding its rules—it’s just that most of us were never taught to see them clearly.

Ordinary life looks stable on the surface, but it’s brutal underneath. In peaceful times, people are milked for labor; in chaotic times, they’re thrown in as cannon fodder. History books glorify the victors, but the truth is always the same: a few carve out peace, and the many quietly consume it. Heroes rarely live long enough to enjoy the order they create.

I’ve come to accept that so much of what we call “the world” is just collective imagination. Nations, religions, laws, systems—none of these exist outside human agreement. Those at the top use these shared fictions to define who gets what role. That’s why people in different positions literally live in different worlds.

When I was younger, I used to believe effort always paid off. Now I see it differently. Unless you’re one of those rare outliers, your fate is tied more to the industry you’re in than to how hard you grind. When the industry rises, it lifts you like an elevator. People inside can do push-ups, dance, or just stand still—they all think their “moves” made them rise. In truth, it was the elevator. That was a hard pill for me to swallow.

I’ve also noticed how most people don’t live their own lives—they borrow dreams, preferences, even their sense of identity from others. They consume a secondhand life, mass-produced by those who shape markets and culture. It’s unsettling when you realize even your “likes” may not be yours.

Money taught me another lesson. Without the ability to control it, it flows away as quickly as it arrives. I’ve seen people win big or get lucky, only to end up back where they started. The money didn’t vanish—it just went back to those who know how to command it.

One of the most dangerous habits I’ve spotted in myself and others is being too “obedient.” A person who always listens lacks their own compass, and that makes them easy to manipulate. The same goes for trying to please everyone—you end up blending into the crowd, never standing out. The moment your vision rises above the average, you’ll stop being universally liked. I had to learn to accept that.

The older I get, the more I see relationships for what they are: value exchanges. People bond over shared benefit, not sentiment alone. It sounds cold, but once you see it, you stop wasting energy where there’s no reciprocity. Real connections are built on mutual usefulness.

And I’ve stopped taking people’s words at face value. Everyone has a position, an interest to protect. What they say often reveals less about “truth” and more about the seat they’re sitting in. Now, before I believe anyone, I ask myself: what do they stand to gain?

I’ve also seen how even with good opportunities, many still fail—not because they lacked luck, but because they only knew how to “play their cards” without ever learning the deeper rules of the game. Life isn’t just about the hand you’re dealt; it’s about how you play the system around it.

The hardest truth? Ambition is everywhere, patience almost nowhere. People want empires but give up after a few days of effort. I’ve been guilty of that myself—dreaming big but running out of steam fast. Recognizing that gap was sobering.

If you come from an ordinary background like me, choosing the right industry is everything. Want to know your future? Look at the seniors around you—their clothes, their cars, their lifestyle. That’s your path if you stay. It’s painful to admit, but working harder in the wrong lane just speeds up failure.

And maybe the biggest shift in my mindset came when I realized society is a fragile stage play—a grassroot troupe pretending to be a grand theater. Once I saw the cracks, I stopped being intimidated. All the shame, the doubt, the fear I once felt—they were based on an illusion that others were stronger, smarter, more perfect than they really are. The truth? They’re just as hollow. And once I saw that, I started walking lighter. Even with nothing, I could hold my head high.

Finally, I learned this: the world is an animal kingdom dressed in suits and stories. People accept that tigers eat pigs, but struggle to accept that humans prey on other humans in the same way. The sooner you stop expecting fairness or equality, the freer you become. That realization alone killed 90% of my old frustrations.

The world won’t give you justice, and it doesn’t owe you meaning. What it does give you is a stage to test whether you can see through the illusions—and still live with dignity, on your own terms.

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