About Social Climbing

In a competitive world, where we must face the hard climb of the so-called social pyramid, for those who, like me, were born into poverty and wish to strive for a position that minimally lifts us from disgrace, the question remains: how can we do this efficiently and consistently?

One concept that stands out to me is that of serendipity. A complicated term, but let me explain: the word serendipity comes from a Persian story where the princes of Serendip make unexpected discoveries during their journey. The word has come to define discoveries made unexpectedly, without the purpose of finding them.

The Logic of the Black Swan

In his book The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb brings this concept to illustrate a way to achieve some degree of success in life, particularly for those from more humble origins. Taleb’s book is a treatise on how chance governs our lives and that although we think we have a logical explanation for almost everything that happens, such explanations are merely probability inferences that can crumble at the slightest noise unrelated to our will. However, by using serendipity to our advantage, we increase our chances that some random event will benefit us.

When we expose ourselves to social events aligned with our interests, we increase the likelihood of being noticed and gaining some recognition. With recognition comes opportunities, where we have the chance to ascend to prestigious positions and, with luck, attain some economic return.

To this end, in the book, Taleb suggests that those who wish to achieve any level of success remain in larger cities and participate in events, as this may increase the chances of an encounter that can bring long-term benefits. Of course, we cannot forget to do our part. If we want to be noticed and demonstrate our capabilities, we need to master our areas of interest, along with the so-called soft skills. A fine-tuning of these characteristics is necessary for us to be interesting and needed.

I don’t care much for success. I even struggle to recognize the banality of the financial success that many people loudly preach (especially on the internet) about their formulas for success and how anyone who does not stand out by replicating such success is mediocre. Mediocrity, to me, is someone who does not explore their intellectual or artistic potential to impact future generations. Financial success is a frivolous parameter and, under certain circumstances, easily replicable.

That said, I recommend to all who wish to boost their careers and achieve accomplishments, whether intellectual or financial: take advantage of serendipity. Seize the opportunities to participate in events, meetings, and the like, something that modernity has made accessible to almost anyone.