This article draws on the Gervais Principle by Venkatesh Rao, a look into how corporate offices work. This post will make more sense to you if you have read it already. Rao’s article is much more in depth (and much better) than mine. This post is an application of his model to political movements.
I feel like this gets at something true, but is also outrageously cynical. Where's the room for people who genuinely want to seek out the truth and serve their communities? And how we support their success?
Agreed. There is some truth to this lens, but being so incredibly cynical about everything is no way to live life, in my opinion. Cynicism this deep rots every higher value to the core.
Venkat Rao is a smart man, but I also think he is actually quite evil when it comes down to his ideas. The Sociopath, Loser, Clueless triangle basically frames the world where there can be no genuine love, trust, brotherhood, or communal purpose towards a higher cause. It's the epitome of the morally bankrupt, rootless technocratic class that has overtaken the West in the last few decades. I say humanity can do better than cynically look at ourselves as if we're all pointless automata playing status games.
Bravo. V. Rao’s the Gervais principle hit me between the eyes because it explained so much about my corporate experience. I was clueless because I needed to believe. I would say sociopaths need to win, while losers need to belong. Losers will indeed sell out a clueless in a heartbeat if the crowd approves. This is perhaps why Rao says sociopaths pick losers to elevate but never the striving clueless.
I feel like this gets at something true, but is also outrageously cynical. Where's the room for people who genuinely want to seek out the truth and serve their communities? And how we support their success?
Embrace the darkness - it will help you see.
Love it
There are other avenues of survival within the system:
- Spergs, Cynics, Manipulators https://www.reddit.com/r/AlreadyRed/comments/1zso5x/spergs_cynics_and_manipulators_how_powertalk/
- Pam Against Posturing https://mereorthodoxy.com/michael-scott-theory-social-class/
- Counterelite Theory http://www.zzzptm.com/lss-002.html
Agreed. There is some truth to this lens, but being so incredibly cynical about everything is no way to live life, in my opinion. Cynicism this deep rots every higher value to the core.
Venkat Rao is a smart man, but I also think he is actually quite evil when it comes down to his ideas. The Sociopath, Loser, Clueless triangle basically frames the world where there can be no genuine love, trust, brotherhood, or communal purpose towards a higher cause. It's the epitome of the morally bankrupt, rootless technocratic class that has overtaken the West in the last few decades. I say humanity can do better than cynically look at ourselves as if we're all pointless automata playing status games.
Bravo. V. Rao’s the Gervais principle hit me between the eyes because it explained so much about my corporate experience. I was clueless because I needed to believe. I would say sociopaths need to win, while losers need to belong. Losers will indeed sell out a clueless in a heartbeat if the crowd approves. This is perhaps why Rao says sociopaths pick losers to elevate but never the striving clueless.