Around anything cool you want to pursue, you will find a Moat of Low Status. Each moat is different, but they are never pleasant to be in. They’re always scummy, cold, and terrifying. The Moats that surround prestige industries are guarded by beautiful people with blowguns and scathing witticisms. They will delight in your failure. Perhaps you will be their intern in a bitter winter. Once you’re successful, they’ll suddenly start liking you. Weirdly, this won’t give you any satisfaction.
The moat carries another problem equal to that of low-status shame. Boredom. In the same way that great artists must strive through the moat of knowingly creating bad art, any person departing their life as a mud person does so because they want a more interesting, meaningful life. But moat life is often *more* boring and *more* tedious than mud life, which is comfortable full of cheap dopamine.
I've crossed many low-status moats, and I may soon enter another one, but I often reach the other side out of luck rather than a plan to conquer the tedium of boredom and low-status. Comfort kills your dreams.
Sasha, I’m so glad I found this piece. I’m in the middle of a moat with writing while all my friends are living in the city together with high income jobs. I’ve felt like turning back to the common tread path more than ever.
This was a much needed reminder to trust in what is difficult.
A vitally important concept you have related, here. I like the use of metaphor and 1st person active phrasings. Keeps it feeling vital and prompts my mind to engage/maintain broad spectrum attention.
For no reason other than "synchronicity is fun":
I literally wrote a short story to relay this concept just yesterday. I used mud/valley->?mountainside/climbing-> mountaintop vs mud-> moat/crossing-> island.
Thought to write it because I wrung myself out 2x over the weekend using too many words to describe what you describe here.
"If you turn back, it’ll be okay. You will find yourself in your familiar mud, being a mud person. And you can have a fine life as a mud person. A long, fulfilling life. But many mud people gaze out across the treacherous water with longing in their eyes."
Absolutely love this line; I think some writers create it as a do-or-die moment. But really, you'll be OK and that longing will remain. So it's up to you to decide how badly you want to cross the Moat or not.
I LOVED this! Especially as someone who recently graduated college and is still confused trying to figure out what I "should" do, "want" to do, and if there's any overlap at all between the two, this really resonated with me. It also reminds me in some ways of "The Dip" by Seth Godin and how important it is not only to understand that The Moat exists but be decisive in terms of what moat you are willing and able to withstand. Looking at all my friends living in cities, working their big girl jobs, or just seeming like they have more clarity and made better decisions while I'm stille trying to untangle the threads of my life, this article is showing me that I'm probably in a moat now. But I have no itnetions of becoming a mud person so onwards and up!
This was absolutely (and continues to be) my jiu jitsu experience "Other Moats involve physical pain as well as social pain. Sure, at a nice jiu-jitsu gym everyone will be nice to you as a white belt. You’ll still spend most of your time getting crushed, and you’ll know that you suck, and they’ll know that you suck, and your appetite for continuing will depend on your ability to bathe in a Suck Field day in and day out."
i am so deep in this moat it drives me insane and still i trudge on. this is a beautiful piece of writing and i just stumbled on it when i needed to see it most.
This is a nice viewpoint, but I don’t fully relate. I love being a white belt in a jiu-jitsu gym. It’s only after I pass the white belt that the expectations kick in; then I enter the moat.
The moat carries another problem equal to that of low-status shame. Boredom. In the same way that great artists must strive through the moat of knowingly creating bad art, any person departing their life as a mud person does so because they want a more interesting, meaningful life. But moat life is often *more* boring and *more* tedious than mud life, which is comfortable full of cheap dopamine.
I've crossed many low-status moats, and I may soon enter another one, but I often reach the other side out of luck rather than a plan to conquer the tedium of boredom and low-status. Comfort kills your dreams.
Sasha, I’m so glad I found this piece. I’m in the middle of a moat with writing while all my friends are living in the city together with high income jobs. I’ve felt like turning back to the common tread path more than ever.
This was a much needed reminder to trust in what is difficult.
Thank you (:
Just so you know, Sasha, your wife sent me here and it was worth it👍
A vitally important concept you have related, here. I like the use of metaphor and 1st person active phrasings. Keeps it feeling vital and prompts my mind to engage/maintain broad spectrum attention.
For no reason other than "synchronicity is fun":
I literally wrote a short story to relay this concept just yesterday. I used mud/valley->?mountainside/climbing-> mountaintop vs mud-> moat/crossing-> island.
Thought to write it because I wrung myself out 2x over the weekend using too many words to describe what you describe here.
Again, great post. Thanks!
"If you turn back, it’ll be okay. You will find yourself in your familiar mud, being a mud person. And you can have a fine life as a mud person. A long, fulfilling life. But many mud people gaze out across the treacherous water with longing in their eyes."
Absolutely love this line; I think some writers create it as a do-or-die moment. But really, you'll be OK and that longing will remain. So it's up to you to decide how badly you want to cross the Moat or not.
Great piece Sasha :)
I LOVED this! Especially as someone who recently graduated college and is still confused trying to figure out what I "should" do, "want" to do, and if there's any overlap at all between the two, this really resonated with me. It also reminds me in some ways of "The Dip" by Seth Godin and how important it is not only to understand that The Moat exists but be decisive in terms of what moat you are willing and able to withstand. Looking at all my friends living in cities, working their big girl jobs, or just seeming like they have more clarity and made better decisions while I'm stille trying to untangle the threads of my life, this article is showing me that I'm probably in a moat now. But I have no itnetions of becoming a mud person so onwards and up!
That's one heck of a way of reminding me I need to learn how to swim 🏊♀️.
This was absolutely (and continues to be) my jiu jitsu experience "Other Moats involve physical pain as well as social pain. Sure, at a nice jiu-jitsu gym everyone will be nice to you as a white belt. You’ll still spend most of your time getting crushed, and you’ll know that you suck, and they’ll know that you suck, and your appetite for continuing will depend on your ability to bathe in a Suck Field day in and day out."
Appreciate you putting words to this, Sasha!
I’ve been rereading this article when I feel down. It’s consistently reassuring - thank you :)
beautifully written. so raw.
i am so deep in this moat it drives me insane and still i trudge on. this is a beautiful piece of writing and i just stumbled on it when i needed to see it most.
This is a nice viewpoint, but I don’t fully relate. I love being a white belt in a jiu-jitsu gym. It’s only after I pass the white belt that the expectations kick in; then I enter the moat.
I love this! I am in the moat and this was a nice lifeline to keep going. Thank you.
Thank you. I really needed to hear this lesson.
This was beautifully written