Will Storr, award-winning author and science writer, reveals why the Buddhist rejection of ego and ambition completely misunderstands human nature, and how status is the hidden force driving everything we do.
In this episode of The Problem With… James and Will unpack the uncomfortable truth: without wanting, striving, and competing for recognition, civilisation itself would collapse.
Will Storr is the author of The Status Game and The Science of Storytelling, and his work spans psychology, neuroscience, and culture.
He explains why our obsession with hierarchy and belonging is baked into evolution, how status loss drives everything from online hate to violence and suicide, and why “connection and respect” are as fundamental to survival as food and water.
He explains:
◼️ Why Buddhism gets human motivation wrong
◼️ How every person plays invisible “status games” daily
◼️ Why humiliation can trigger violence
◼️ How storytelling and culture shape our sense of self
◼️ The link between status, social media, and modern mental health
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