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Prestige (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠simply the mimetic part of a rivalry — the fact that the prize cannot explain the fury; remove the object and the fight goes on.

Prestige (n.) needs ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠no prior aura — the word comes from praestigia, spells and illusions — for rivalry alone conjures it into being.

Prestige (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠literally nothing; fighting over it is fighting over nothing — which, with no concrete object left, comes to look like everything, to the rivals and to all onlookers.

Prestige (n.) migrates ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to the winner: because the rival triumphed, the loser crowns him with the Don Juan halo he dreams of, which each new failure pushes further his rival's way.

Prestige (n.) vanishes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the moment the desired one notices you: the one girl who glances at Marcel loses her share at once, while those who ignore him keep theirs.

Prestige (n.) and ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠prejudice are two faces of one attitude, the survival of a primitive sacred that fears and venerates the same person.