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< | It is strongly recommended that you include your outline in the body of your essay by using the outline as section titles. The headings below are there to remind you how section and subsection titles are formatted. | | | A Self Reflection: What's the Shame in Slowing Down? | | | As an economics major, I was surrounded by classmates who were gunning for investment banking. The most prestigious banks attempt to be the first one to secure the best talent and out-compete each other. Inevitably, the process gets pushed earlier each year and many students begin networking as soon as they start college. With the exception of some extremely determined students, most of us, including myself, had no idea what we wanted to do in our freshman year. I was not even remotely interested in banking, but I jumped on the bandwagon anyway – what if I become interested in banking in the future and my decision to not start early enough would close the door? When I had the option of taking a finance internship or working on a campaign, I took both because I feared leaving one out would somehow close distant opportunities in the future. | |
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< | I want to use this opportunity to explore the root causes of my fear of missing out and incapability to slow down, which may be explained by a simple game theory model. | >
> | I want to use this opportunity to explore the root causes of my fear of missing out and incapability to slow down, which may be explained by a simple game theory model
This depends on what the word "explain" means. In this case it seems to mean "reify misrepresentation." But then, that's the reason my character the econodwarf came into existence: the econodwarf was a full-sized reductionist who reduced himself. As you perceive, one side of the mushroom makes you faster, while the other side makes you smaller.
. | | | Prisoner's Dilemma
The hustle culture is essentially a product of the prisoner’s dilemma. Take the law school recruiting scene for example. If all students participate in OCI only, everyone will have equal opportunities to bid and interview. Although not everyone will have equal chances of getting an offer because of credentials, at least every student would be in the same race competing for the same number of available positions. But if one student applies directly, they may be able to enhance their probability of getting the job by preceding their competition. Other students who abide by OCI, however, would be left in a disadvantaged position where they may be competing for less headcount as many would be taken by early applicants. While the most stress-free, “socially” efficient approach would be for all to abide by OCI, it is not the most favorable outcome individually. To maximize individual chances, a given student would likely choose to apply early. But when everyone chooses to apply early, the recruiting process is simply pushed forward. Students still face the same competition while having less time to prepare. The game is identical from firms’ perspectives. All firms face substantially the same pool of candidates during OCI, but they are incentivized to recruit early to snatch the best talent before other firms. Consequently, when all firms choose the best individual strategy, the recruiting timeline inevitably advances. The inescapable consequence would be students spending extra time to network and prepare application material and firms spending additional resources on early-stage outreach, while the outcome would be similar to if everyone had attended OCI. | |
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< | The dilemma extends well beyond legal recruiting. People are egotistically motivated. If there is something one can do to edge themselves ahead of other competition, most people would choose to do it. People would then gradually catch on and bring the playing field back to where it started until another round of edging and catching begins. The only thing that has changed is that people have exhausted more time and effort. I am too trapped in this vicious cycle, but how can I escape? | >
> | The dilemma extends well beyond legal recruiting. People are egotistically motivated. If there is something one can do to edge themselves ahead of other competition, most people would choose to do it.
Speak for yourself. I can say with absolute certainty that such a motive has never been part of my thinking in any decision I have made in at least the last four decades, including all the time I was in law school and getting my PhD. Nothing whatever, in any institution, compels you to be this way, nor is it some necessity of your own nature. When you met the people who would have helped you leave this behind forever, you probably failed to see and hear them because you were busy trying to get their slices of cake. Perhaps it was your greed you needed to regulate, not your time.
People would then gradually catch on and bring the playing field back to where it started until another round of edging and catching begins. The only thing that has changed is that people have exhausted more time and effort. I am too trapped in this vicious cycle, but how can I escape?
By remembering that this use of the model is bullshit. Because you are neither in jail nor in competition with everyone else for everything, zero sum, there is no prisoner's dilemma in the first place. It's just a bunch of mind-bending bullshit somebody sold you and you're poisoning yourself with it because the purchase cost is sunk and you don't know how to write crazy off.
| | | Learn to Slow Down | | | One way I have begun to experiment is to internalize that life is a marathon, not a sprint. I have conceptualized life as sprint segments. Viewing short-term goals as the finish line, I kept telling myself that I need to do everything I can to be fastest in each 100-meter dash. What I neglected is that the person next to me may have already paced for the full life-marathon – they may be behind me at a certain stage, but they will eventually pass me. I will exhaust myself quickly if I do not start to pace for the full marathon. | |
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How about we try a draft where life is not a race in the first place? Are we seriously to consider "slow" as the vacuous staccato chit-chat at a caffeine dispensary? What then is a day at the museum, a walk in the park, half a day of meditation, or—indeed—ten minutes'? Self-reflection is a good idea. But not compulsively looking at your reflection would be an even better one. Let's try it together. You will be astonished at how much life you have yet to live.
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