Read on Twitter
Aesthetics of effortlessness.
Thoughts / thread.
Thoughts / thread.
Growth mindset is a heartwarming meme, because it feeds on feelings of hope and aww. However, it is not reflected in what people actually value, as in: what gives social status.
What is cool: âI woke up like thatâ, âyou make it look easyâ.
What is uncool: âgold star for effortâ.
These are the aesthetics of effortlessness.
What is uncool: âgold star for effortâ.
These are the aesthetics of effortlessness.
As a consequence, the following shadow rule operates: if you had to work for it, you donât deserve it.
Howâs that for a mindfuck?
Howâs that for a mindfuck?
This drives nuts everyone who wants to incentivise effort (managers, teachers, parents). They try to propagate different values by setting up artificial rewards, âgold starsâ.
Gold stars are the opposite of status symbol. They are cringe symbols. Why?
Gold stars are the opposite of status symbol. They are cringe symbols. Why?
1. Theyâre paternalistic. They visibly mark the recipient as being subject to evaluation and approval.
2. They suggest the recipient is desperate to gain this approval.
In short, only a hopelessly naive or socially desperate person is earnestly proud of their gold star.
2. They suggest the recipient is desperate to gain this approval.
In short, only a hopelessly naive or socially desperate person is earnestly proud of their gold star.
But in the absence of gold stars and similar incentives, effort is still uncool.
Hereâs Suzie, losing cool points by betraying that she has to work to understand a lesson.
Hereâs Suzie, losing cool points by betraying that she has to work to understand a lesson.
In a momentum-driven world, we are all looking for ways to shorten the time required to gain escape velocity.
https://twitter.com/fvathynevgl/status/1239558557948928000?s=21">https://twitter.com/fvathynev... https://twitter.com/fvathynevgl/status/1239558557948928000">https://twitter.com/fvathynev...
https://twitter.com/fvathynevgl/status/1239558557948928000?s=21">https://twitter.com/fvathynev... https://twitter.com/fvathynevgl/status/1239558557948928000">https://twitter.com/fvathynev...
Effortlessness means: no grind, immediate escape velocity.
Amateurs love the mystique of effortlessness. It allows them to put the effortlessly-perfect person on a pedestal as someone special, destined to win.
It gives them hope that escape from the grind is possible.
Amateurs love the mystique of effortlessness. It allows them to put the effortlessly-perfect person on a pedestal as someone special, destined to win.
It gives them hope that escape from the grind is possible.
The same promise is held out by productivity systems. Itâs why people obsess about life hacking.
Itâs also why being organised and prepared is uncool, âneuroticâ. Because we know people obsess about these things as an anxiety relief.
Itâs also why being organised and prepared is uncool, âneuroticâ. Because we know people obsess about these things as an anxiety relief.
People being publicly open about their anxieties and struggles dispel the illusion of being *better than you*.
Really high status people make themselves approachable this way. Everyone else playing the game hovers too close to the bottom line to afford a dip.
So they donât.
Really high status people make themselves approachable this way. Everyone else playing the game hovers too close to the bottom line to afford a dip.
So they donât.
My growth mindset, your strong work ethic, their tryharding.
Effortlessness failure mode 1: impostor syndrome.
If you take other peopleâs projected effortlessness at face value, and compare your actual levels of effort to the projected levels, you end up feeling inferior.
Solution: grok that others are always low key lying.
If you take other peopleâs projected effortlessness at face value, and compare your actual levels of effort to the projected levels, you end up feeling inferior.
Solution: grok that others are always low key lying.
Effortlessness failure mode 2: self-sabotage.
If you suffer from low self-esteem, you might earnestly attempt to project effortlessness at *yourself* by procrastinating and then succeeding at your task *just barely*.
Look, ma, no effort!
If you suffer from low self-esteem, you might earnestly attempt to project effortlessness at *yourself* by procrastinating and then succeeding at your task *just barely*.
Look, ma, no effort!
Final thought: people who bought into a personâs superiority can get *really fucking angry* when the mask comes off.
Example 1: makeup and face tune. Menâs reactions to womenâs makeup. Advice to âtake them for a swimming dateâ, etc.
Example 2: tech job interviews.
The really competitive ones donât reward thinking at the whiteboard. You have to come up with a solution fast (and it better be optimal or close). Effortlessly, like.
People train solving problems that took decades to solve in 30 minutes.
The really competitive ones donât reward thinking at the whiteboard. You have to come up with a solution fast (and it better be optimal or close). Effortlessly, like.
People train solving problems that took decades to solve in 30 minutes.
End thread
