Stoner

"Stoner" argues that we are ultimately measured by our capacity to face the truth of who we are in private moments, not by the burnishing of our public selves

What makes a life heroic is the quality of attention paid to it. 

The 20th century ushered in a shift from a "culture of character" which emphasized the importance of private behavior , to one of "personality" in which the exalted social role was that of a performer. 

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"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious" - Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

The Streamlined Life - NYTimes.com

As the drive to compete intensifies, other things get streamlined away. In 1966, 86 percent of college freshmen said that developing a meaningful philosophy of life was essential or very important. Today, less than half say a meaningful philosophy of life is that important. University of Michigan studies suggest that today's students score about 40 percent lower in measures of empathy than students did 30 years ago.

I'm not sure if students really are less empathetic, or less interested in having meaning in their lives, but it has become more socially acceptable to present yourself that way. In the shadow of this more Darwinian job market, it is more acceptable to present yourself as utilitarian, streamlined and success-oriented.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/opinion/brooks-the-streamlined-life.html?action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&region=Marginalia&src=me&pgtype=article