Passion Economy

Biological Parallel

Passion economy: monetizing intrinsic interests and skills. Biology's nearest analog: sexually selected traits driven by runaway selection—peacock tails aren't 'useful' for survival but are passionate expressions of genetic quality. The investment seems wasteful (like pursuing passions over stable jobs) but signals commitment and underlying fitness. Bower birds spend weeks building elaborate nests not for shelter but for display—pure passion project. The biological truth: passion signals are honest (costly) displays that can't be faked. What looks like frivolous passion is actually rigorous signaling.