At what point do you no longer prioritize prestige???

Just graduated 7 months ago from a t20 university. Seemed like not many from my school wanted to go into IB but found it to be prestigious. Now in ib and I have realized a lot of the analysts in my group value prestige (college, firm, hs, neighborhood etc). I’m not sure if this is unique to ib but do people eventually hold prestige to a different regard or do people always desire it? 

 

once you mature enough, but to mature you have to experience different things in life, those that at 30/40 years old still care about prestige are clearly people that still have a long way to go in terms of maturity because they still feel some sort of insecurity and must give value to external things to feel any sense of worth. 

Personally I stopped caring about prestige when I noticed that people that were associated with extremely prestigious things were still stupid/boring/less competent, etc. than others that did not have those "prestigious" things (university, material things, etc.). You then understand that "prestige" means nothing, and I started to appreciate more someone's competency and generally his character. People that disregard those for prestige clearly don't really understand really what life is about. 

 

Ah, in France prestige, it is very important to some people. People, they look at prestige with eyes of respect, admiration. It's like a wine, getting better with time. But, the value of prestige, it is changing. Young people, they sometimes see the world differently. They want authenticity, something real, not just a name or history. But still, for many, prestige, it is like a beautiful painting, a symbol of success, of having reached the top. It's a part of our culture, this appreciation of the fine things, the history, the savoir-faire. But yes, with time, the view, it evolves, but the core, the respect for prestige, it stays in the heart of our culture 

 

No! We do not place emphasis on prestige, we believe on the importance collectively working together and transparency. Prestige is a philosophy based on Anglo-Saxon that’s tied to monarchs and royal families. If anything we emphasis technique, high standards and quality. Carry on !

 
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Prestige is fundamentally a social construct rooted in the human desire for recognition and status. It is important to some because it serves as an external validation of their abilities, achievements, or social standing. The pursuit of prestige is often driven by an intrinsic human desire for respect, acceptance, and admiration from peers and society at large. It is tied to our evolutionary history, where status within a group could dictate access to resources, which influences survival and even reproductive success.

However, the pursuit and importance of prestige can shift in a person's life. This realization often occurs when a person experiences a reevaluation of personal values and life goals. Such epiphanies can be triggered by a range of experiences – existential crises, personal losses, significant life milestones, or even periods of introspection and self-discovery.

Upon this realization, one often begins to perceive the superficial nature of prestige. They come to understand that external validation, while gratifying, is transient and often contingent upon the fickle views and changing standards of society. This understanding fosters a shift in values towards more enduring and intrinsically satisfying pursuits.

After this realization, people begin to prioritize values such as authentic personal relationships, self-fulfillment, altruism, and inner peace. There is an increased focus on intrinsic goals that align with one’s core values and beliefs, leading to a more fulfilling and self-determined life. Relationships take precedence, not for the social status they confer, but for the genuine connections and emotional fulfillment they provide. Achievements are sought not for public acclaim, but rather for personal satisfaction and growth. Essentially there is a migration from extrinsically motivated goals to those that are intrinsically rewarding.

This shift represents a fundamental change in how individuals define success and worth. It underscores a deeper understanding of the human condition – that true contentment and fulfillment arise not from external accolades, but from living a life that is congruent with one's deeply held values and beliefs

 

What’s the most prestigious age to stop prioritizing prestige?

 

Maturity is a big thing. Another is life experience and living for something other than yourself. When you're married with kids, hopefully they become far more important to you than prestige of your job/income. There are lots of ways to earn a great living. Over time you'll learn what works for you and your priorities. It may be IB. It may not. 

Comparison is the death of joy! Took me a long time to realize that. Used to be stuck in this GAP where I would compare myself to peers who were making tons of money (7 figures). Was motivating to a point but eventually realized I just didn't want to do what they did so moved in different direction. Got to a very nice income (but very nice and certainly all we needed to live a great life) and focused on living that life. Didn't really care what others thought. The funny thing is I'm fairly certain peers would have been thinking, "God I wish I could go away for two weeks without talking to the office" and now it's more like "geez I wish I could be very much part time and still bring in a bunch of income and live a fine life"

There is a rare breed out there that truly love the game and combat of the 80-100 hour week. They love always pursuing the new deal, the fight, etc. Sounds fun until you have to do that for a long time. I like the hunt, but on my schedule and circumstances.

 

Lol most people stop caring about prestige once they’re 2-3 years out of college. When they realize working at Moelis consists of 90+ hour weeks and nobody even knows what M&A is when they flex their job at the bar to some bimbo chick 

 

Once you expand/diversify your social circle outside of complete dorks. You meet people in other industries who are crushing it financially, love what they do and have relative control over their own lives. Inevitably you take a step back and put things into perspective.
 

Or Maybe it will hit you when you’re a mid 30s IB VP eating re-heated chinese food at the office at 3am on a Saturday night to please your MD in hopes he remembers you come bonus time (he doesnt give a fuck)

 

I like the story of the hedge fund manager with superior returns driving a minivan. Prestige is results, not materialistic desires. 

"If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." - Bruce Lee
 

Does prestige actually become irrelevant later in life or do are people just saying that? Was watching a clip of Sam Altman talking about when he took a year off work after selling his startup and he mentioned when he was at parties in Silicon Valley, he felt looked down upon and ostracised when people asked what he did for work and he said nothing as he mentioned how in SV your social status is entirely determined on what startup you are working on. I'd imagine its the same in LA with media/social media.

 

Coming from a town with more cows than people in the South, prestige will always find a way to persist and judge in society, no matter how small or insignificant. Recruiting for IB is all about prestige (from someone coming from a southern state school) and while many might not value it here it's the one thing I'm not looking forward to when trying to break into NY.

 

After the glamour of the job wore off (took less than a year) and the realization that the majority of people do not care

The important thing is never to let oneself be guided by the opinion of one's contemporaries; to continue steadfastly on one's way without letting oneself be either defeated by failure or diverted by applause.
 

Prestige is subjective. For example, in nyc, the most prestigious jobs you can have are investment banking / private equity / hedge funds. Software engineering is respected but just doesn’t have the same allure to it

In the bay, working in SWE, especially in big tech, is held to the same regard as if you told someone you work at Blackstone / KKR in nyc. Meanwhile working in finance in the bay is often viewed similar to if you said you’re a coder at a startup if you’re in nyc
 

 

You stop caring about it when your friend who joined some no-name fund no one has ever heard of has a great year and makes 5 bucks while you are sitting in your "prestigious" job waiting for your 6-figure deferred comp to vest.....

 

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