When it comes to doing what someone loves, Paul Graham argues against prestige being a good factor in finding the path to an enjoyable occupation. This assertion is not entirely true. Prestige can be a vital motivator to get things done. The idea of prestige can vary depending on the context of its use. The pros and cons of of prestige and its use as a motivator will be discussed as well as how context can change its meaning. When one thinks of doing something they love, the occupation which they seek can be intertwined with prestige, or it may have absolutely nothing to do with prestige. For instance, if someone loves to act then their job is directly tied to prestige. However, if someone loves to do carpentry then prestige is not truly…show more content… Most people want to do something to be noticed in the world and often they will be lead on to pursue more high profile jobs that they will only find enjoyable through the fact that they gain prestige. This is bad because they may dig a hole from which he or she cannot escape after pursuing an unsavory career because of prestige. Prestige can also be a two sided sword, if someone does a job they dislike long enough to have a lot of prestige, they are now looked to for their expertise in that field. A good example of the latter is my father, who has been doing flooring installation for approximately twelve or fourteen years. My father started in this business with his siblings in a family company as a way to earn decent income to support myself and my brother after my mother stopped working. He became stuck in this field even though he greatly dislikes what he does; after all these years he has earned prestige among flooring dealerships as a person who does master craftsman quality work and his work is in high demand. If my father were to quit he would be financially stressed in a new job as well as have to study a new profession at an ever increasing
