I think an interesting story could be told about a man who is a remarkable underachiever. Alan Sillitoe's “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner” broaches the subject, but only broaches it; it's almost too controversial to talk about. Too many people are sensitive and vulnerable over the matter. Nobody feels comfortable with underachievement. Look at what a to-do everyone makes over the Olympics, for example: Oooh, you ran 1/100th of a second faster than the other guy, all those years of training and courses of drugs finally paid off! That thrills people. It inspires them. “I'm like that”, they think. “One day, I too will get to stand on a little box and be feted, after my years of hard slogging and putting up with dickheads.”

I would think anyone who spends considerable time updating his or her weblog might have a unique insight to offer.

Labels: Stories