Being any sort of public person today is obviously insanely corrosive to your sanity unless you're extremely well-insulated.
I'm wondering to what extent this is cultural and not a human constant, though. The Romans were another winner takes all culture with ludicrous standards.
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Which kind(s) of insulation are you thinking most about - psychological, communication barriers, physical?
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Fiscal, legal, social, physical, metaphysical, spiritual... it's a package deal. These people don't breathe the same air we do.
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Oh, so public like *big* public figures? Hmm, I'm not sure the super-insulation of rarefied air isn't just as corrosive to sanity. I'd almost bet the other way, that staying connected is the better chance.
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I don't think there's a good option, here. It's all deeply corrosive. We're a deeply messed up culture. We eat our best and preserve our worst.
You may not agree, of course, but I think there is plenty to support this interpretation.
I also think a lot of the specific corruptions that come with power and notoriety are probably more biological in nature, but that's its own thing.
For the sort of cultural attitude we have towards it all, I deeply suspect that this is conditional and contingent and contextual.