The paradox behind progression

A sell-out is defined as someone who betrays their own principles for reasons of expedience — but it is thrown around more loosely to describe someone who’s attaining some form of career or monetary progression.

For this to be true in all cases you’d have to acknowledge one of two things:

1. That people’s principles can never change. They’re fixed forever.

2. That all income, no matter how much, is inherently evil and an attack on the concept of morality.

Now, of course, not all money is bad, we need it to live — but there is a correlation between the level of income you have and people’s disdain for it.

Essentially, people want you to do well, just not better than them.

Calling someone a sell-out is usually the reflex for some kind of public gasconade (boast).

From first glance, the alleged sell-out seems to have taken an easier path than normal to success. Nothing infuriates people more than someone with seemingly fewer skills, earning more money than them.

That’s the paradox of progression. The more you attain from hard work, the easier opportunities will come. The easier those opportunities, the more it seems like you’ve betrayed your principles of hard work… You will never win.