I think that wasn't the point. "I'm selling my Harvard diploma", in my opinion, fits under the category of clickbait because it makes you (me anyway) curious to find out more - why is the author selling his diploma?

If the author had just shredded the document and written a generic article about prestige without mentioning his associations, I fear that title would do less well.

But yeah I agree with your point that buying/selling a piece of paper doesn't transfer the knowledge, friendships, networks that one can build in college.

I think we agree, that it solely serves as clickbait to the rest of his point. My initial impression was that there was the implication that something significant is being given up, which is not the case.

I had the same reaction. Yes, it’s good to try to find meaningful work (a point well made my the author). Selling your Harvard diploma doesn’t seem to have any relationship to that point, other than giving an excuse to repeatedly remind the reader that you went to Harvard. Which seems contrary to the message of the piece.

>but it's not like selling the diploma prevents him from saying he went to Harvard

Which in my experience is something that people who went to these institutions will do, constantly. Goes down incredibly well in countries where the the idea of tiers has yet to catch on.

It's just a symbolic gesture.

writer always has to have a hook.