> The problem is that most of us didn’t do the only X that matters, which is to actually write. [...] Writers who don’t write seems like a niche phenomenon of a narrow and privileged set
Nah, I think this is super common across titles that people romanticize, mainly in the arts, since there's no real barrier to entry. (Unlike, say, claiming "I'm a lawyer" or "I'm a doctor.") I've seen tons of people say "I want to be/I am a musician" and then spend a bunch of time watching YouTube tutorials, hanging out in musician/producer Discords, etc. and not actually, you know, making music.
For a lot of people, "I want to do X" actually means "I want to have done X," and then reap all of the benefits that comes from that: the sense of accomplishment, the fame, social media follows, whatever.
These days I'm usually very suspicious of people who make big public pronouncements about how they're starting X task, whether that's going to the gym, learning guitar, building something in Rust, or whatever. If you wanted to do the activity, you'd just do it without all the pomp and circumstance. Every time I've seen a friend on social media announce they're going to start a grand new adventure, they fizzle out after a month or two. The ones who get shit done will show up to a party looking amazing and casually mention, "Yeah, I've been hitting the gym."
Very strange that right after the arts are two titles that are highly romanticized. Back in the days I owned my own business and had a sizeable medical client base, I cannot tell you how many doctors had to buy a BMW because their other doctor friend has a BMW and you're not one of the "doctor club" unless you own one.
I come from a family heavily involved in the criminal justice system, and the lawyers, police, and judges I know have the same problems with falling in common tropes.
And don't even get me started on engineers. Give them 10 minutes and we'll tell everyone how liberal arts are the end of the world ;)
> I cannot tell you how many doctors had to buy a BMW because their other doctor friend has a BMW and you're not one of the "doctor club" unless you own one.
I've seen it as well.
Also, medical professionals tend to only be around other medical professionals for most of their 20's and early 30's, which really helps create a kind of insular and closed culture. Having to match for residencies and fellowship doesn't help (you'll get shipped somewhere you know nobody and be forced to work long hours and your only support network will be colleagues). It's not that dissimilar to how a cult operates when you really think about it.
It's no surprise they come to identify strongly with the tittle and will do things to fit in with the "club".
> Very strange that right after the arts are two titles that are highly romanticized. Back in the days I owned my own business and had a sizeable medical client base, I cannot tell you how many doctors had to buy a BMW because their other doctor friend has a BMW and you're not one of the "doctor club" unless you own one.
New York investment bankers and stockbrokers. I don't think any of us want to know all the American Psycho shit that goes down in those professions, but I do know of one anecdote (which I can't cite but may have gotten from Hackernews years ago): Apparently, the thing to do if you're in high finance in NYC is to live in a posh apartment in Manhattan. You could live in a (relatively, this is NYC) cheap apartment in Brooklyn or the Bronx and save a bit of money to put towards retirement or whatever -- but you will be looked down on by your peers and passed over for promotions. The higher-ups want to see you "hungry", as they think it makes you more loyal and driven.
Yeah there have been studies that as soon as you tell someone about the thing you're intending to go, be it go to the gym or become a musician, that causes you to lose motivation. But in today's Instagram, pour your heart out online, hyper connected world, trying to build up that follower count for online clout world, narrating your own life is how you live in it. It's one thing to proclaim I'm going to go to the gym and become hella ripped like the Rock and then can't follow through, it's another thing to be a smartphone addicted person that's posts every time they're at the gym. Point is, some people like the pomp and circumstance, others really hate the spotlight. What'll blow your mind is the fact that those two groups often work together, with one person working behind the scenes and the other being the face of things. Ghostwriting isn't just about writing.
> "I want to do X" actually means "I want to have done X,"
I co-authored a book with someone, which ended up meaning I did 90% of the work and they could be prodded with considerable effort to contribute in a few areas and give feedback. But they were thrilled to have been an author and hand out copies etc.
No real harm from my angle. I have no issue with them being a co-author. Doesn't hurt me. But a perfect example of this principle. A former boss at a small company was a somewhat similar example. They liked being a $X. They came to not like doing the work of being a $X.
Agreed on the first point. I let other people call me an artist or photographer or pianist or whatever I deserve - I don't even need to agree with it, and I've replied that holding a camera doesn't make me a photographer more than standing in a garage makes one a car or going to $RELIGIOUS_PLACE makes one a $RELIGIOUS_FOLLOWER - but I am growing into rocking the PhD title that I proudly earned.
>For a lot of people, "I want to do X" actually means "I want to have done X,"
I think in many cases it's more like "I want to want to do X." They think it would be great to be flowing with words, musical ideas, technical ideas, ready and motivated to create, but presently they are not.
> For a lot of people, "I want to do X" actually means "I want to have done X," and then reap all of the benefits that comes from that: the sense of accomplishment, the fame, social media follows, whatever.
What's interesting to me is that sometimes even 'doers' feel this way. There are days when I absolutely love practicing and training and there are days when I wish I could reap the rewards without putting in the work.
This is a trick I learned a long time ago, and why I still hate standup. If I need/want to do something, the more time I actually spend talking or thinking about it, the less likely it is to get done.
If you actually want to get it done, don't talk about it, just do it.
Nah, I think this is super common across titles that people romanticize, mainly in the arts, since there's no real barrier to entry. (Unlike, say, claiming "I'm a lawyer" or "I'm a doctor.") I've seen tons of people say "I want to be/I am a musician" and then spend a bunch of time watching YouTube tutorials, hanging out in musician/producer Discords, etc. and not actually, you know, making music.
For a lot of people, "I want to do X" actually means "I want to have done X," and then reap all of the benefits that comes from that: the sense of accomplishment, the fame, social media follows, whatever.
These days I'm usually very suspicious of people who make big public pronouncements about how they're starting X task, whether that's going to the gym, learning guitar, building something in Rust, or whatever. If you wanted to do the activity, you'd just do it without all the pomp and circumstance. Every time I've seen a friend on social media announce they're going to start a grand new adventure, they fizzle out after a month or two. The ones who get shit done will show up to a party looking amazing and casually mention, "Yeah, I've been hitting the gym."