Paul Graham's essay arguing that the advice 'do what you love' is not a platitude but a serious and difficult challenge — requiring honesty about what one actually loves versus what seems prestigious.
The pretending problem: most people spend their careers pretending to love their work — choosing paths for prestige, money, or parental approval. Graham's prescription: notice what you find interesting even when no one is watching, treat 'prestige' as a danger signal (prestigious paths are crowded and conformist), and distinguish curiosity from liking. One of Graham's most personally resonant essays — widely read in the rationalist and startup community as an alternative to conventional career advice.
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