Writers these days need to promote themselves as brands. A holiday job selling ice cream must be presented on a CV as evidence that the applicant is a highly motivated self-starter with excellent communication skills. This is now the way of the world. In a culture where everyone has to put themselves forward, the virtues of holding oneself back are easily lost. But retiring virtues need not be put into retirement. What we ought to do is distinguish them and unpick their benefits and drawbacks.
Latest FT Weekend Column (30 June/1July)