That's really true. It's not an easy task to wear a mask comfortably.

For most people, being consciously performative is extremely awkward – most of our social performance is as unconscious as breathing, and we often believe (or believe that we believe) in the face we show others. Wearing a mask comfortably takes years of practice, and resculpting that mask to something else doesn’t take place overnight.

Hard Mode – “Become worthy” vs. “Fake it ‘til you make it”Hard Mode – “Become worthy” vs. “Fake it ‘til you make it”

“Hard mode” means that instead of “faking it until you make it” you strive to become worthy. If you pursue your base goals honorably and with a sense of personal integrity you can build smoothly and continuously on your achievements as you ascend. This takes longer. You may watch others race ahead of you. Resist the temptation to take shortcuts and make immediate gains in ways that add no value to the world.

There are many cargo cults of deep, fulfilling and morally laudable work. This is especially true wherever there is an abundance of pro-social focus, such as in activism or charity work. Simplistic, Disneyfied moral narratives create theatres of meaning for the clueless while generating SSMP for the sociopaths.

If you are pursuing SSMP, do not create one of these cargo cults. If you are pursuing meaning, do not be fooled by them. The real red pill is stripping away your illusions about yourself, others, and the world. Adapting your narratives as you encounter reality is necessary to any successful effort to contribute to the world. This disillusionment and adaptation is the cycle of destructive renewal.