“The sociopaths quickly become best friends with selected creators. They dress just like the creators—only better. They talk just like the creators—only smoother. They may even do some creating—competently, if not creatively. Geeks may not be completely fooled, but they also are clueless about what the sociopaths are up to.

Mops are fooled. They don’t care so much about details, and the sociopaths look to them like creators, only better. Sociopaths become the coolest kids in the room, demoting the creators. At this stage, they take their pick of the best-looking mops to sleep with. They’ve extracted the cultural capital.

By the time sociopaths show up, mops are numerically most of the subculture. Sociopaths manipulate the mops, and it’s hard for the geeks to overrule an overwhelming majority.”

Shared this with a friend this morning which caused me to re-read it which caused me to want to share it with everyone else again.

Nothing really comes close to Tom Wolfe on Bob Noyc. this will always occupy a ton of mind share for me, via @Meaningness. I reference it, no joke, at least once a month.

a very famous and interesting blog post

has great essay on this general dynamic, which I definitely have seen in varying cycles of #roamcult

Great read. Thanks for sharing.