The inner ring? More like the dinner ring!

Yes, I know, lame title. But I was bored.

Anyway, I was fascinated by this essay. Everyone knows about inner rings. That they're inescapable and we're always trying to get inside of them. I actually disagree with his claim that it's possible to escape trying to get inside of them. I think by trying to stay outside of them, you create your own "inner ring" of people who try to stay outside of inner rings. In other words, they're as inevitable as death. Especially with the internet. The net has created all sorts of new inner rings and desires to get inside of them. World of Warcraft, for instance, has clans. These clans can be considered inner rings, the more prestigious and famous ones being more desirable than the awkward, small ones no one has heard of. Internet forums are inner rings. Even recognition of your name on the internet in and of itself can be an inner ring, one I'm working on getting into. It's coming along well, if you're interested.
He also talks of becoming a scoundrel. And I don't think that one has to be trying to get into an inner ring to be a scoundrel. I think some people are just scoundrels because they can be. I, for instance, am a scoundrel because I enjoy the distress and irritation I can inspire by simply being a scoundrel and doing scoundrelly things.