Reading the (excellent, btw) Friday Night Fighter, which focuses on Gaspar Ortega, made me think of a sort of corollary to @SenatorChickpea 's now-frequently referenced "peasants not kings" statement. I guess applied literally it would be neither a peasant nor a king, but a minor/mid-level noble or middle administrator.
For sports, Ortega reminded me of the "Hall of Very Good" player. The kind of person who stands out even among others in their sport, and is undeniably excellent, but still falls short (sometimes deservedly, sometimes not so) of being considered an all-time immortal. The hunch I had is that such a person is more relatable and affected by divergences than a "king", but capable of more experiences than a "peasant".
I'm also reminded of 1984 of all things, where Winston is in the Outer Party. Neither a king (Inner Party) nor peasant (prole), a viewpoint that worked very well for that book.
For sports, Ortega reminded me of the "Hall of Very Good" player. The kind of person who stands out even among others in their sport, and is undeniably excellent, but still falls short (sometimes deservedly, sometimes not so) of being considered an all-time immortal. The hunch I had is that such a person is more relatable and affected by divergences than a "king", but capable of more experiences than a "peasant".
I'm also reminded of 1984 of all things, where Winston is in the Outer Party. Neither a king (Inner Party) nor peasant (prole), a viewpoint that worked very well for that book.