Comments on: TED – Alain de Botton on Career and Life Anxiety

By: Ben Atlas

Ben Atlas — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:22:24 +0000

Walt, I added some of the notes I took away from the video. I also think that you make a very important point about the fine line between snobbery and objecting to the lack of rigor. But rigor naturally is what you do, what you produce as a result of your efforts, unlike job or education labels that give one only a certain expectation.

By: Walt Pascoe

Walt Pascoe — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:23:46 +0000

Yours is a timely and important preoccupation; touched on compellingly in your previous post: 'All that Music that Rises to the Middle'. Human nature does indeed tend toward being desirous of confirmation rather than challenge…especially as we grow older.
I was drawn to Alain's TED presentation for the same reason that I spend time seeking out new and interesting people on the web: in order to swim against the creeping tide of complacency. It's hard to put any meat on the bones of this assertion w/o spending time talking about myself and my background, which I am loath to do in this context as it seems a little narcissistic and tedious.Suffice to say that I am so deeply steeped in the cult of the individual and the protestant work-ethic that meritocracy as an organizing principle is more instinctual than learned. Bred in the bone. For me it's a real stretch to empathize w/ someone who claims anything less than 100% agency over his or her lot in life. So I think it's a healthy thing for people like me to be reminded of meritocracy's limitations, and the need for compassion as a balancing force. To bear in mind the distinction between being an “unfortunate” and being a “looser”.
I am also immersed in David Foster Wallace's “Infinite Jest” just now. “Tragedy as an art form devoted to tracing how people fail” struck a chord w/ me for that reason. And of course I share your appreciation of Alain's accurate definition of snobbery ! But being anti-snobbery doesn't necessarily mean accepting mediocrity. It's not elitist to stand up for the notion that rigorous, objectively identifiable quality can exist. And you are right to point out the insidious slippery slope of crowd sourcing popularity contests as a standard setting device.

By: Ben Atlas

Ben Atlas — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:22:23 +0000

Walt, I am rather preoccupied with the observation that people seek out content that reinforces what they already believe. Hence mass popularly is a sign of mediocre content. Similarly I am watchful of our propensity to like presentations that confirm our own ideas. Is this the example, perhaps? But there are few points that are refreshing, namely the definition of snobbery, the reminder about the flip side of the over-achievement culture and the reminder that we can’t have everything. Now that hurts…

By: Ben Atlas

Ben Atlas — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 02:50:23 +0000

Walt, I have been thinking about this presentation most of the day today.I need to watch it again couple of times to comment.

By: Walt Pascoe

Walt Pascoe — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:43:05 +0000

Thanks for making me aware of this Ben. It rings true on so many levels. For me personally as an artist etc., sure. But even more importantly perhaps as a parent. I am sending this to my two twenty-something daughters (And I only get just so many of those “oh jeez another bit from Dad offering advice” pings per year :) …so a measure of just how important I think Alain's presentation is !).
Warm Regards.
wp