Comment by arthurofbabylon

The author thinks this is a novel or rare position (†) to be in, however it's actually fairly common and most people resolve it relatively easily by being with other people. The point is integration, not separation.

Those chasing prestige, and programmed to chase prestige from childhood, often do not know that prestige is a form of separation. They think that once their respect with their peers rises they will feel more connected, or more connected with better people. This is all wrong – connection is fostered by humility. (Hiking large, easy mountains might look impressive yet it is not an antidote to loneliness and isolation.) Prestige is like a drug: attaining it often makes a person hungrier for more. Prestige, at its best, is a tool to accomplish good things, and nothing more.

I suggest the author find hyper-local challenges with direct and obvious impact... maybe volunteering with the mentally ill, or cooking for large groups, or tutoring in math/physics. Of course these aren't prestigious, and I sadly doubt the author will be interested (and hope to be proven wrong).

A note regarding "purpose": I believe purpose is a misleading solution. Most of us can conjure purpose – the key is to close the feedback loop by acting on it in a way that draws one closer to community.

(† Footnote: The author may think their wealth is a distinctive quirk of their predicament; it is not. The defining characteristic is freedom and space, and a lot of people are in this position, regardless of net-worth. I hope the author looks beyond other rich people to find solutions.)