In the previous article, we saw the Plastic King’s version of events—a legendary victory in which convincing someone to download a mobile app apparently deserved fireworks, celebrations, and perhaps even a national holiday.
Now it is time to hear the same story from the individual’s perspective.
As it turns out, the “master plan” looked considerably less impressive from the other side.
Taking the Bait on Purpose
The individual received several hints from different people suggesting that he should download a communication app so that a woman who supposedly liked him could contact him.
From the beginning, he believed the suggestion was part of another attempt by the Plastic King to influence his decisions. What he did not know was how astonishingly simple the King’s “ultimate plan” actually was.
His initial response was to ignore the suggestion completely.
But after hearing the same recommendation from multiple sources, he changed his mind—not because he believed the story, but for two entirely different reasons.
First, he wanted the people repeating the message to realize that they were being used. Sometimes the easiest way to reveal a trap is to let everyone watch it fail.
Second, he wanted to give the Plastic King something he rarely experienced: hope.
After all, if someone believes they have already won, the disappointment tends to be much greater when they discover they were celebrating too early.
Warnings Ignored
According to the individual, he even gave the Plastic King several opportunities to recognize what was happening.
Through a third party, he allegedly sent a simple message:
“I like to give people hope before I take it away.”
He also hinted that he had already analyzed the entire situation.
The warning, however, appeared to bounce harmlessly off the Plastic King’s microscopic brain, where it was immediately rejected due to a severe lack of available processing power.
Completely convinced that victory was inevitable, the Plastic King continued marching proudly toward what the individual viewed as his own self-inflicted embarrassment.
The greatest irony was that there had never been a trap to escape from in the first place.
The Plastic King celebrated defeating an opponent who had voluntarily walked onto the stage just to watch the performance.
The Most Disappointing Mastermind
Surprisingly, the individual did not feel victorious.
If anything, he felt disappointed.
He had expected an elaborate, multi-phase strategy worthy of a self-proclaimed master manipulator.
Perhaps hidden contingencies.
Secret backup plans.
A dramatic plot twist.
Instead, the grand finale turned out to be…
“Congratulations. He downloaded an app.”
That was it.
The individual could not help but feel that he had significantly overestimated his opponent.
More than anything else, he felt sorry for the people of Mickey Mouse Land.
If the people responsible for running the country celebrate downloading an app as the pinnacle of strategic brilliance, then perhaps the country’s greatest shortage is not money, technology, or resources.
Perhaps it is self-awareness.
