I find myself continually discouraged by the human tendency to respect the ideas and life of others solely on the merit of the originator's age, credentials, or prestige. On one hand, there is never enough time to verify all ideas necessary for life, so one must have some sort of metric. On the other hand, I have seen far too many people hoisted to a place of authority by their own canards, which they lob into the minds of the unsuspecting public. The true scholar's occupations are discovery and education, not a pedantry or marketing. In the U.S. at least, research and thought have been reduced to a means of obtaining employment and respect rather than obtaining useful answers to honest questions. People usually only quote academic research in order to further entrench their preconceptions, but respect can work in other ways as well. I have sometimes observed a basic human tendency for some to look at certain other humans with a measure of awe. In the academy, this is often exhibited by those with little education toward those with advanced degrees. But at younger ages, it often occurs along the metric of age. Young teenagers often look at 20-somethings with a measure of respect and awe. To them, we seem more confident, more experienced, more individual, more cool, when in reality, we are ordinary people who are trying to deal with the realities and drudgery of adult life. For example, my friend Nate Eagleson is one of the very best people I know. But he is not cool. He isn't fashionable, doesn't ever want to be fashionable, and is more honest than to try to gain coolness by pretending to be uncool. He's somewhat shy, and when he talks to people, it's because he cares, or because they have something interesting to say. For him, ideas of style, fashion, or coolness just get in the way. But he can't escape the aura; Nate plays in a band, wears black clothing, and when he keyboards, puts on leather cutoff gloves. Does it matter that black is practical, or that he only wears the gloves because his style of playing would otherwise leave his hands a bloody mess? No. That just enhances his cool. I also can sometimes suffer from a similar obstacle in conversation and life. As I accomplish more, demonstrate further promise, and reach positions of greater influential leverage, I find that the number of people interested in using me to forward their cause increases. I will have none of it. If I do something, I want it to be judged on its own merits. If I tell you something, I want you to weigh it on its own merits. If I am mistaken or wrong, I beg you to tell me. I refuse to play the game, because real life matters far too much to me. I refuse to speak or publish, just because I can, or because it might be good for my career. I most greatly desire to speak and act only that which truly matters. I could not dare less. Life is too deeply meaningful, our quantity of quality truth so small, and the needs of our world too great for me to waste thought and breath on the shaky lattices of reputation or personal gain. Trust is one of our most meaningful, rare, and fragile gifts; I refuse to stripmine such a precious jewel.