How do you view the insecurity of status? Status is perpetually insecure really no matter who you are. We're constantly measuring our status in a book I write about neuroscientists talk about how we have this thing in the brain called they call the status detection system. So it measures things like the amount of eye contact we're getting with numerical precision. It's always up for grabs. You know, Elon Musk can be reduced in status in conversation with somebody that he admires if they treat him disparagingly.
Sam Harris speaks with Will Storr about the role that status plays in human life and culture. They talk about the taboo around caring about status, egalitarianism, the perpetual insecurity of status, how we play multiple status games simultaneously, identity, social connection, dominance, virtue, success, status as an evolved mechanism, gossip, status and health, the consequences of humiliation, the role of social media, status and politics, conspiracy thinking, moral panics, status and philanthropy, and other topics.
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