Part four of a four-part series. Read part one, part two, and part three.
Prestige is a funny thing. In today’s capitalist jungle, it usually means money, fame, or having a LinkedIn profile that screams, “Look at me!” But to me, prestige is simpler—it’s about how people look up to you as a person, not just a title.
Being both a teacher and a fireman, I guess I check a few of the “prestige” boxes. Say you’re a teacher and people nod respectfully. Say you’re a fireman and they want to buy you a drink. Say you’re a professor and suddenly people expect you to quote Nietzsche or at least own a corduroy blazer. Which I own…