I've never understood why "LOOK AT CAPTAIN TRYHARD OVER THERE" is meant to be an insult.

It just puts me in mind of the stereotypical college roommate who has decided that he's already superior to everything so nobody else should ever do anything, ever. Doesn't matter what it is you're doing -- reading a book, listening to an album, volunteering, studying, voting, writing, having sex, working, whatever -- he's already so totally over it that he can't believe you'd choose to waste your time on this facile crap. (Because, unlike the rest of the world, he's got important shit to do, like play speedruns of pokemon and expand his inexplicable collection of throwing knives.)

Ooooh, look at Little Miss Tryhard over there, thinking she's making a difference volunteering down at the soup kitchen. Man, it's like you don't even get that the system is the problem! You're just wasting your life on people who don't even appreciate you.

Ooooh, look at Little Miss Tryhard over there, thinking she's making a difference by voting. Man, it's like you don't even get that democracy is for chumps. Elections don't make a difference. You're just wasting your life on stuff that doesn't even matter.

Ooooh, look at Little Miss Tryhard over there, thinking she's making a difference by running for office, getting elected, and changing how things run. Don't you know that any meaningful reforms you enact will just feed back into the same systems you fight against? You're just wasting your life on meaningless, masturbatory, self-aggrandizing nonsense.

Oooh, look at Little Miss Tryhard over there, stabbing me in the chest with a kitchen knife. Don't you even know where my heart is? I mean, sure, whatever, you hit my spleen or some shit like that, but if you were really serious about killing me, you'd be aiming that differently and hitting more vital organs. You're just wasting your life because of your half-assed understanding of anatomy.