It is perhaps impossible to desire what we already have, what is easy, or what is implicitly promised to us. Desire is fueled, to a certain degree, by the possibility of not getting what you want. It depends on a certain distance and difficulty that must be overcome through one’s own effort.
Being sold to can be socially awkward, for sure, but when it comes to corrosive self-doubt, being the seller is a thousand times worse. The constant curation of a salable self demanded by the new economy can be a special hellspring of anxiety.
The word community also came up more times than I could count, with young people desperate to live close to their friends (not their jobs) and have people around them who will love, support and accept them. However, it’s important to note that while the word “community” came up a handful of times, it was almost always used vaguely. Community is... See more