The thesis seems to be that brilliant contributors often get dragged down in the mundane after their initial contributions. And that makes the author sad. I l

The thesis seems to be that brilliant contributors often get dragged down in the mundane after their initial contributions. And that makes the author sad. I look at things differently. We have about 8B people on this big blue marble. Let’s say one in a hundred have what it takes to make a significant contribution to their time and place. So that leaves us with 80M folks who, in some sense, deserve to make a big contribution. So you get on the contribution carousel and get to grab the brass ring. Let’s say you actually grabbed the brass ring. Money, fame, maybe even personal satisfaction and actual contribution to the long-term happiness of others. Look behind you, the line waiting their turn is really long. Get off the merry-go-round and give the other kids a chance. There are a lot of them. Go eat some cotton candy. Maybe even sell your ring, build another carousel and give even more kids a chance.