More alternatives, please

There are two ways for an artisan or professional to see the world: Scarcity. This is the idea that if there were fewer photographers, more people would hire me to do wedding pictures. That if the bar exam were more selective, it would be easier for my firm to get clients. And if everyone would […]

Apr 29, 2025 - 10:21
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More alternatives, please

There are two ways for an artisan or professional to see the world:

Scarcity. This is the idea that if there were fewer photographers, more people would hire me to do wedding pictures. That if the bar exam were more selective, it would be easier for my firm to get clients. And if everyone would just stop imagining they could be an author/musician/magician/painter, my life would be a lot better. (And AI should be barred from doing what I do.)

Abundance. This is the more resilient and likely idea that when others show up to participate in your craft, it brings energy, insight and activity to the field.

The truth is that books don’t sell very well in the supermarket, where there are no other books. They do better in the bookstore, right next to all the other books.