Beyond Prestige
A publication devoted to dismantling the cult of college prestige and forging fresh paths to adulthood
In a recent episode of On Being with Krista Tippett, Denise Pope, and Abraham Verghese, the conversation centered around redefining success for young people today, who, according to a growing body of research, are way more stressed out than previous generations (we don’t really need research to convince us of this!). The problem, these three thought leaders observed, is not the gritty determination to achieve new milestones; the problem is the debilitating fear that is now accompanying the young achievers. It’s a fear that is unprecedented and largely unnecessary.
Collectively, we’re living longer, earning more, experiencing less violence, and accessing more knowledge. There are more ways to define success and carve out a living doing work that our grandparents would have gaped at. Yet, contradictory to this more positive state of the world, young people are living in a growing state of fear and anxiety, falsely believing that the path to true success is narrow and linear. It turns out, when you think there is only one road to take, a wrong turn means you’re going nowhere. There is no room for missteps or wrong turns. A low grade, a lazy afternoon, a missed deadline could close doors… for good.
