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<p>Because if I choose a hotel with excellent service and accommodations, and it’s prestigious too, the prestige is just icing on the cake (to extend your analogy). However, if I choose the hotel for the purposes of impressing others, it’s possible I’ll miss out on a hotel or vacation that would have been more enjoyable FOR ME, because I cared more about impressing others than about impressing myself. </p>
<p>Why are so many CC’ers so insecure that they derive self-esteem from surveying others about the prestige of their school? WHy wouldn’t your internal knowledge that it was excellent be enough? You know, I’d have loved to have gone to Harvard – because it’s an excellent educational experience. Not so I could name-drop at parties.</p>