The Unmistakable Weight of the Co-sign
Ascendancy in any domain is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. You alternate between the two, taking leaps from one step to the next, aiming for that mythical high point.1 You are built by your achievements and by the belief others have in you.
The latter might be even more important than the former, especially in today’s talent-saturated world. The democratization of everything has turned every field into a crowded competition, making it harder than ever to stand out — which means that opportunities to be pulled up and out of the fray are invaluable.
The more subjective the field, the more essential it becomes to have people with influence vouch for you. And the rarity of a genuine co-sign gives it its power. In sports and science, you can get farther on numbers alone. But in art, politics, fashion, or even business, your ascent is locked behind gates — and those gates are held open or closed by people.