Conversation

Emerging-adulthood vortex: Any scene that emerges around anything that allows people 21-35 or so to make their bones in the world…it attracts activity and killer-instinct commitment with a do-or-die level nihilistic desperation, usually with an attached dating/hookup scene 🤔
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When I was in the vulnerable age band, I expended real effort avoiding getting sucked in. Not sure why, but entirely wrong black-hole energy for me. Now that I’m very safely out of the age band I can see how these vortices work more clearly… and am extremely glad I avoided them
Replying to
I’m probably in the minority who are not suited to life in EAVs. I suspect a majority of people probably should. Spending part of 18-35 in an EAV is probably like parenthood. Fulfilling life chapter for majority, hell for the minority.
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EAV people tend to also have kids and move on to early middle vortex of community life organized around kids’ schooling and experience a clear transition to late middle age via empty nest events around 48-54. Most of my college friends are going through this now.
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There’s a whole A-plot life stage thing here. And there’s the B-plot. Avoid EAVs, no kids even if you get married, often no real jobs ever, rarely sign up for pillar-of-society responsibilities, blurry transition to late middle age. Civilizational B plots ‘r us 😆
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You’d think the checked out, no-skin-in-game NPC inconsequentiality of B-plot people would lead to A-plot people just ignoring them, but damn they don’t leave you alone. The very existence of the B plot and people choosing it is for some reason viewed as a threat by A-plot types.
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This is true even if we lead virtuous lives, and pay our way. I suspect A and B people are assets/burdens to society with about the same distribution mean, but the variance is far higher for A-plotters. They are either great assets or great burdens. Bs are narrow distribution.
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Duuuude… trads are one of the biggest EAVs around!!
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Replying to @vgr
There’s a bit of a horseshoe in that Trads also avoid EAVs — although motivated by different reasons and choosing different alternatives than the B-plotters
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I see a clear fork in life paths after empty-nest age based on whether or not there is an EAV vortex in your past. If you do, it will be like being a veteran of an eternal war. You will feel an urge to “give back” to the current generation involved in it. Advice, investment, etc.
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If you *don’t* the idea of “giving back” will seem ill-posed to you. There’s no there there to your post. No self-perpetuating vortex that still persists, with new players in whom you see your younger self. There are new B plot players, but they’re up to unrelated new things.
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I suppose you could identify these vortices with institutions that either persist as living ones, or are properly memorialized.
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B-plot = feels like your past is footsteps in the sand that have already washed away even though you’re still living. The thought is either upsetting or liberating.
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Not sure of this, but I think the basic difference between A-plot and B-plot is that A-plot people try to win a particular hero’s journey through preparation and skilled play, while B-plot people simply try to get lucky and don’t particularly care what form the luck takes.
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EAV investment looks like a lot of intense work upfront, but with some guarantees of rewards if you do it. It’s not lottery enough for B-plot types.
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