The old idea that "you have to become someone" — through effort, skill, contribution or mastery — has been replaced by a gamified shadow of status.
Things people can point to and say, "That's mine. I built this. I figured that out. I helped this grow."
What was once called an essay—or esse, meaning "to be"—was never just a school assignment. It was a stake in the ground. A crafted expression of thought, perspective, and presence. It said: I noticed. I interpreted. I cared enough to arrange it for you.