It is unbecoming to become a sycophant. You cannot be a slave to sophistication and free to be admired as a freelancer. The desire to be distinguished is indistinguishable from dereliction of duty for you cannot be well thought of by everyone without abandoning your obligation to someone.
All displays of power are vulgar. To need to flex is a wicked reflex. To boast of yourself is to broadcast your bombasity. It highlights your weakness, not your strength. As Shakespeare observed, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." That is to say, the more you say it, the more you reinforce the opposite.
It is always uncouth to clamor for cool points. There are fewer things less cool than being caught trying. Yet, the cool are nevertheless trying, they are just better at not getting caught. The poor souls who obviously want in never will be. They have failed to discover that there is nothing less cool than expressing your desire to be included. A great way to be kept out is to be caught trying to get in.
Luke 14:7-11
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, "When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, 'Give this man place;' and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, 'Friend, go up higher:' then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
It is just as much of an honor to be invited further up and in as it is a humiliation to be escorted further down and out. Those who chase honor will be labeled losers and those who live to honor others will be elected to higher offices.
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