Rat race


A rat race is a metaphor used to describe an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit.
The phrase is sometimes used to relate the human life to that of rats attempting to earn an ultimately pointless reward when death is inevitable. While rats pursue cheese, humans pursue financial and competitive gain. While both often compete and struggle for existence, both humans and rats eventually reach the same fate: death. This ultimately represents a nihilistic philosophical approach to life and society. The term is also commonly associated with an exhausting, repetitive lifestyle that leaves no time for relaxation or enjoyment.

Etymology

In the late 1800s, the term "rat-run" was used meaning "maze-like passages by which rats move about their territory", commonly used in a derogatory sense.
By the 1930s actual rat races of some sort are frequently mentioned among carnival and gambling attractions.
By 1934, "rat-race" was also used in reference to aviation training, referring to a "follow-the-leader" game in which a trainee fighter pilot had to copy all the actions performed by an experienced pilot.
From 1939, the phrase took on the meaning of "competitive struggle" referring to a person's work and life.

Historical usage

The Rat Race was used as a title for a novel written by Jay Franklin in 1947 for Colliers Magazine and first published in book form in 1950. It is dedicated To those few rats in Washington who do not carry brief-cases.
The term "rat race" was used in an article about Samuel Goudsmit published in 1953 entitled: A Farewell to String and Sealing Wax~I in which Daniel Lang wrote:
Philip K. Dick used the term in "The Last of the Masters" published in 1954:
Jim Bishop used the term rat race in his book The Golden Ham: A Candid Biography of Jackie Gleason. The term occurs in a letter Jackie Gleason wrote to his wife in which he says: "Television is a rat race, and remember this, even if you win you are still a rat."
William H. Whyte used the term rat race in The Organization Man published in 1956:
Merle A. Tuve used the term rat race in a 1959 article entitled "Is Science Too Big for the Scientist?", writing:
David Foster Wallace used the term rat race in his 2005 commencement speech entitled "The Most Precious Freedom":

Solutions

"Escaping the rat race" can have a number of different meanings: