#SeinfeldTaughtMe: What We Learned From The Show About Nothing

The hashtag #SeinfeldTaughtMe, trending this morning on Twitter, shows that the seminal NBC sitcom Seinfeld is a surprisingly good source of life hacks, or at least life advice and stupid human tricks. Here are some of the most useful lessons.

Image: Seinfeld

As a "show about nothing", Seinfeld was really about all the things that make up daily life.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe to always check for toilet paper first, because some people can't spare a square pic.twitter.com/k3wAmwJmck

— Morgendorffer 0819 (@MabryMundy) November 3, 2017

Its characters dared to violate the norms. They played out heightened versions of the little tricks we all try.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe it's not a lie if you believe it pic.twitter.com/U6gXbN61LT

— Jamie Manzi (@jmanz327) November 3, 2017

These tricks were social, mental and physical.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe how to drink and smoke at the same time pic.twitter.com/6I9WDEiiAb

— mr cooldude (@lostinmusic1975) November 3, 2017

Sometimes this aberrant behaviour worked, but sometimes the cons outweighed the pros.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe not to eat anything from the trash can. pic.twitter.com/cSd2G2kdJr

— Timmy Little (@TimmyLittleSays) November 3, 2017

In punishing characters for their wrongs, the world of Seinfeld was more just and fair than the real one.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe that you can't return a book after you've read it in a restroom. pic.twitter.com/zwuVUCWr4T

— Naasir (@TouchedPrawn) November 3, 2017

But sometimes bad things happened to good people.

Write down your parking spot number. #SeinfeldTaughtMe pic.twitter.com/RUIPm8e88W

— Hello Felicia (@hellofelicia14) November 3, 2017

Really bad things.

#SeinfeldTaughtMe not to skimp on the invitations pic.twitter.com/PLTizCAqBH

— Robyn Your ???? (@robyndwoskin) November 3, 2017

The show even commented on that difference between the usual glamorised world of fiction, vs. the mundanity of Seinfeld's "reality".

#SeinfeldTaughtMe to always have a drink with pretzels pic.twitter.com/LPlKPC7VCI

— johnny Blaise ???????? (@Double_Dogg) November 3, 2017

Sometimes the characters pulled insane gambits that no one would ever try in real life - no one except Seinfeld co-creator Larry David.

#seinfeldtaughtme You can quit your job and go back in on Monday and act like it never happened. pic.twitter.com/PCANiT4TaI

— ????Norma Bates???? (@bluelighttv) November 3, 2017

Most importantly, Seinfeld reminded us that what makes us interesting isn't our strengths but our weaknesses. It even presented a model of friendship based on celebrating those weaknesses, counter to the aspirational "BFFs who would die for each other" relationships of other shows.