Will Grant: We may have persuaded more of our listeners that status is in fact innate. But the last place where my mind might have gone was these examples of egalitarian tribes. And so obviously we are capable as a species of living in more egalitarian ways. However, as it turns out, that takes an enormous amount of policing, right? Or it's not an easy thing to achieve.
“Life is a game. There’s no way to understand the human world without first understanding this. Everyone alive is playing a game whose hidden rules are built into us and that silently directs our thoughts, beliefs and actions. This game is inside us. It is us. We can’t help but play.”
So begins “The Status Game,” a new book by acclaimed writer Will Storr.
He continues: “We play for status, if only subtly, with every social interaction, every contribution we make to work, love or family life and every internet post. We play with how we dress, how we speak and what we believe. … Life is not a journey towards a perfect destination. It’s a game that never ends. And it’s the very worst of us.”
Does it have to be?
We may not be able to quit the status game, but Will says we can learn to play it better. In this episode, he explains how.
---
Download The Next Big Idea app today at nextbigideaclub.com/app/