Alternate hypothesis: honors are given more in order for the ruler/bestower to take some of the credit for the great work, than for motivating future great work.
It’s hard to see that ANY Nobel prize winner did their work significantly motivated by the idea that it’d win the prize. Likewise knighthoods—they’re given for publicly-great work, but that work isn’t undertaken for the knighthood. Hugo and Nebula awards are valued by authors, but aren’t the main reason for writing—they’re more to make the industry seem relevant than to encourage behaviors.
I don’t think most of the motivation is supposed to come in at the level of doing the final work that might win the award—I agree it seems like Nobel prizes, knighthoods, Hugo and Nebula, etc all aren’t being consciously thought about too much during the year or two beforehand.
“Making the industry seem relevant rather than encouraging behaviors” rings more true. The motivation seems to happen when younger people see that this is a thing society values. That node downstream of the award drives them through years of striving.
Alternate hypothesis: honors are given more in order for the ruler/bestower to take some of the credit for the great work, than for motivating future great work.
It’s hard to see that ANY Nobel prize winner did their work significantly motivated by the idea that it’d win the prize. Likewise knighthoods—they’re given for publicly-great work, but that work isn’t undertaken for the knighthood. Hugo and Nebula awards are valued by authors, but aren’t the main reason for writing—they’re more to make the industry seem relevant than to encourage behaviors.
I don’t think most of the motivation is supposed to come in at the level of doing the final work that might win the award—I agree it seems like Nobel prizes, knighthoods, Hugo and Nebula, etc all aren’t being consciously thought about too much during the year or two beforehand.
“Making the industry seem relevant rather than encouraging behaviors” rings more true. The motivation seems to happen when younger people see that this is a thing society values. That node downstream of the award drives them through years of striving.