Incentives Are for Losers

The author argues that chasing incentives—grades, money, prestige—is a trap for the weak-minded. Using personal anecdotes and research on moral development, they contend that true purpose comes from internal conviction, not external rewards. They critique the 'incentive-maxxers' at the top of society as spiritually empty, and suggest that most people's moral beliefs are as shallow as their understanding of how a toilet works, until a 'Big Horrible Fish' forces them to confront their assumptions.