Chasing Blue Ticks

For years, there's been a black market for Twitter verification. A “blue tick” could set you back as much as $15,000 through "a guy who knows a guy..."

Back then, verification was a coveted status symbol, because Twitter’s approval process made it so difficult to obtain.

Now, Twitter sells blue check marks to any account for $8. 

As it’s become readily available, its exclusivity has vanished, and with it, the allure.

Status symbols only hold as much value as we give them. When the price and accessibility of these symbols drop, so too does our desire to hold them.

That’s why you never see an ad for a discounted Rolls-Royce.

It’s why friends rarely give you the tasting notes of a Pinot Noir they brought to dinner that cost $12 or less. There’s zero status points in that.

But there are some things in life that are truly worth chasing. Things that have nothing to do with status. Things that never lose their value, no matter how accessible they become. They make life meaningful, like human connection, personal growth, health, friendship, and love. 

They don't come with a price tag. They're available to anyone who's willing to put in the time and effort to cultivate them.

But you’ll have far less time to find them if you’re busy chasing after the next blue tick.