The Prestige Trap

I think the irony in this is that the author is already in one of the most enviable/"prestigious" positions in the world by being able to study in Harvard . After he's there he can basically choose to do whatever he wants. For a lot of others, e.g. those who are immigrants or who don't get to be in such a great starting position, it might actually be hard for them to start a startup themselves while ensuring that their life still carries on normally. And working for a mainstream company is a much much more reliable and sensible way for them to make a good life for themselves, compared to working for a startup (instead of being a founder or indie hacker) (there was also an article a while ago on HN about how it doesn't make sense to work for a startup anymore).

So yeah, the point is not necessarily about prestige, but simply the most sensible and risk-free option when all things are considered. I found a similar analogy in investing: Of course you can do all sorts of alternative investments you want/like/find meaningful. Maybe you'll strike it big, e.g. those who bought a lot of Bitcoins 10 years ago. But for the majority of people, the most reliable thing is to simply go invest in a Vanguard index fund. Is it because of the "prestige" of Vanguard? No. Vanguard is famous exactly because it provides the most stable and reliable path for most people. So it has "prestige" for a concrete reason.

Of course, the above might sound quite contrary to the "indie hacker" spirit. If you're already in a great position and do not have that much to lose, or if you can still secure your livelihood while you explore your own options, you are free to pursue whatever idea you want. I guess it's just the case that while listening to all these pro-startup tones out there (e.g. by Paul Graham), one always has to remember that there's the other side of the coin, especially for those who are not in such a privileged/free position to begin with. Generalizing a mainstream job simply with a term such as "prestige trap" might actually be a disservice/something trivializing to those people who would find mainstream jobs the most rational thing they can do after weighing all options.

Say something nice to csallen…

3

I think the irony in this is that the author is already in one of the most enviable/"prestigious" positions in the world by being able to study in Harvard . After he's there he can basically choose to do whatever he wants. For a lot of others, e.g. those who are immigrants or who don't get to be in such a great starting position, it might actually be hard for them to start a startup themselves while ensuring that their life still carries on normally. And working for a mainstream company is a much much more reliable and sensible way for them to make a good life for themselves, compared to working for a startup (instead of being a founder or indie hacker) (there was also an article a while ago on HN about how it doesn't make sense to work for a startup anymore).

So yeah, the point is not necessarily about prestige, but simply the most sensible and risk-free option when all things are considered. I found a similar analogy in investing: Of course you can do all sorts of alternative investments you want/like/find meaningful. Maybe you'll strike it big, e.g. those who bought a lot of Bitcoins 10 years ago. But for the majority of people, the most reliable thing is to simply go invest in a Vanguard index fund. Is it because of the "prestige" of Vanguard? No. Vanguard is famous exactly because it provides the most stable and reliable path for most people. So it has "prestige" for a concrete reason.

Of course, the above might sound quite contrary to the "indie hacker" spirit. If you're already in a great position and do not have that much to lose, or if you can still secure your livelihood while you explore your own options, you are free to pursue whatever idea you want. I guess it's just the case that while listening to all these pro-startup tones out there (e.g. by Paul Graham), one always has to remember that there's the other side of the coin, especially for those who are not in such a privileged/free position to begin with. Generalizing a mainstream job simply with a term such as "prestige trap" might actually be a disservice/something trivializing to those people who would find mainstream jobs the most rational thing they can do after weighing all options.

xji

·
6 years ago
·
2

The Fountainhead is the perfect text to read on prestige.

Also, this is a great, shorter, but relevant read: http://www.paulgraham.com/cornpone.html

Kareem_Abukhadra

·
6 years ago
·