The Dam Has Burst.
"The truth is I’m really in pursuit of greatness."
For years now, greatness was not only discouraged, but actively mocked and attacked.
"Cringe" became the weapon of choice. Many wanted to do great things but feared showing genuine enthusiasm. Heaven forbid you take yourself too seriously.
Now the dam has burst. Greatness is rushing back into the culture.
You can't hold back human nature. The desire to achieve, to inspire and be inspired simply overwhelmed the barriers.
As intelligence becomes too cheap to meter, we embrace other human qualities: ambition and a desire to do our best.
You don't have to strive for greatness. But for the first time in a decade, society will celebrate you if you do.
The micro essay above was first published on X.
It partly inspired by Timothée Chalamet’s acceptance speech (watch on X or YouTube) at Screen Actors Guild awards.
Funny how we spent years making fun of people for trying too hard, and now we’re celebrating ambition again. Did we just get tired of pretending not to care? What changed?