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I take "Then decide which ones are worth investing time in" to mean do I have interest in it. If I don't, it's not worth my time. I think we are just reading t

I take "Then decide which ones are worth investing time in" to mean do I have interest in it. If I don't, it's not worth my time. I think we are just reading this article in different ways, I don't find it so cynical. I believe I can do something I like, AND it be of economic interest. e.g. I enjoyed being in the early Counter Strike competitive scene, it also ended up giving me some of the most valuable connections I have. The two are not mutually exclusive. Economic benefit != malicious exploitation. Most environments are positive sum not zero sum. It's interesting to recognize when you are in an "early arena" because the people there are unique and have self-selected for an interesting reason.

listenallyall 3y ago
Did you choose to get involved with Counter Strike after "looking for signals about which arenas are likely to reward you, to endure, and to scale"? Or did you get involved because you loved Counter Strike, and the fellow people who played it? I'm guessing you dove in because of the latter, and happily did so without any long-term economic expectations whatsoever.
- motoxpro 3y ago
  Ironically, I was a professional at the time so there were "long term economic benefits" (if you can call them that hah). Sounds like we just live different lives; I don't really go through my life completely unaware of the value/privilege of situations I am in. Not because I want to "exploit" them, but just because it's hard not to see "signals about which arenas are likely to reward you, to endure, and to scale"