flâneur

The Moat of Low Status - by Sasha Chapin

sashachapin.substack.com · 637 words · saved by 1 readers

Around anything cool you want to pursue, you will find a Moat of Low Status. Each moat is different, but they are never pleasant to be in. They’re always scummy, cold, and terrifying. The Moats that surround prestige industries are guarded by beautiful people with blowguns and scathing witticisms. They will delight in your failure. Perhaps you will be their intern in a bitter winter. Once you’re successful, they’ll suddenly start liking you. Weirdly, this won’t give you any satisfaction. Other Moats involve physical pain as well as social pain. Sure, at a nice jiu-jitsu gym everyone will be nice to you as a white belt. You’ll still spend most of your time getting crushed, and you’ll know that you suck, and they’ll know that you suck, and your appetite for continuing will depend on your ability to bathe in a Suck Field day in and day out. Some only consist of your self-loathing. If you find a shack to practice the violin where nobody can hear you, congratulations. But you will still hea

Around anything cool you want to pursue, you will find a Moat of Low Status. Each moat is different, but they are never pleasant to be in. They’re always scummy, cold, and terrifying. The Moats that surround prestige industries are guarded by beautiful people with blowguns and scathing witticisms. They will delight in your failure. Perhaps you will be their intern in a bitter winter. Once you’re successful, they’ll suddenly start liking you. Weirdly, this won’t give you any satisfaction. Other Moats involve physical pain as well as social pain. Sure, at a nice jiu-jitsu gym everyone will…

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