I 100% support anyone's individual autonomy, but Dave Chappelle's decision to leave comedy was selfish, because it cancelled an entire gold mine of value that he uniquely provides to others.
This is a thesis statement at the crux of economic understanding and life purpose. Economics spells out pretty clearly that the goods and services produced in a society are essentially what wealth is, and yes, wealth is good. As a huge comedy fan, I was heartbroken to see my favorite comic at the time simply disappear and stop producing the things that I cherished, namely TV episodes and stand up specials, even interviews.
He famously "walked away from $10 million dollars" like it's something to be proud of, but not many understand what that actually means.
In interviews, Chappelle speaks cryptically about his departure. He often implies that he felt pimped out, that others were capitalizing on him, that his life had lost freedom and autonomy - had become encased by celebrity, success, and fame. And perhaps that's to some degree true.
But there is another way to look at it. Perhaps he had actualized the value that he creates for others. Perhaps the organizations that deliver him as a product to the masses are themselves their own value creators. Perhaps the people who make money alongside him are not his pimps but his enablers. Perhaps that $10 million was not a small slice of the pie, but rather a reflection of the very real aggregrate value of his service. He essentially had a monopoly on his own gold mine - and chose to not share it with the world, because other people were making money, too, and that seemed unfair.
Excuse me, Dave. Money is not just some THING that exists in the ether. It's a totally arbitrary but totally real reflection of value. People value things. How much they value those things can be measured in dollars, with a few exceptions that prove the rule. It wasn't some rich white dudes offering you $10 million - it was all of us. If we didn't value you, neither would those rich white dudes.
This also connects to higher purpose and themes around masculinity. Creation is a high virtue, especially when done for the value of others. Ten men building homes is very useful, which is why people pay for it. Now imagine there was one homebuilder out there that did it better than anyone else, was valued for it, and then simply decided to stop utilizing his talent and skill. That'd be pretty terrible, but still not a perfect analogy, because only a tiny handful of people can enjoy this hypothetical home - Dave, however, reaches almost everyone.
This is my problem with Dave, and I'm a huge fan. He didn't turn his back on money or celebrity - he turned his back on his art and his following. People who wanted his ideas and needed his insight. Fuck that.
