Will Storr, a multi-award-winning writer and bestselling author, shares insights into the complex nature of status. He explores storytelling's role in establishing status and how humans compete for it, balancing self-interest with altruism. Storr emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in managing social media’s impact on our self-image. The conversation touches on the psychological effects of humiliation and the need for compassion in our status-driven world. It’s a thought-provoking dive into what motivates us and how to navigate our social structures.
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insights INSIGHT
Status as Fundamental Human Drive
Status is a fundamental human drive impacting health, anxiety, and societal access.
High status reduces stress and disease risk, while low status increases them significantly.
insights INSIGHT
Storytelling Fuses Brains
Storytelling evolved to fuse individual brains into a collective with shared goals.
Story enables humans to cooperate for survival unlike other apes by aligning values and understanding.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use Relatable Underdogs
Identify your audience's primary motivators and values before telling a story.
Use relatable underdog characters to build immediate audience identification and connection.
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The Overstory is a sweeping and impassioned work of environmental fiction that follows the lives of nine individuals whose paths are intertwined by their connections to trees. The novel is structured in four parts – 'Roots', 'Trunk', 'Crown', and 'Seeds' – mirroring the parts of a tree. It delves into themes of ecology, climate change, and the interconnectedness of trees and humans, using a blend of science, history, and magical realism. The book advocates for the protection of trees and the natural world, posing critical questions about humanity's relationship with the environment and the long-term consequences of human actions[2][4][5].
Story Is a Deal
Will Storr
In this highly anticipated follow-up to 'The Science of Storytelling', Will Storr shows how to harness the power of storytelling to create irresistible pitches, motivate teams, and lead with charisma. The book uses examples from Aztec rituals to Apple's advertising successes to illustrate how successful stories shape identities, change beliefs, and drive action.
10% Happier
Dan Harris
In '10% Happier,' Dan Harris shares his personal journey of discovering the benefits of meditation. Initially a skeptic, Harris, a news anchor, found himself on a path of self-discovery after a nationally televised panic attack. He delves into the world of spirituality and self-help, encountering various figures including brain scientists, CEOs, and spiritual leaders. The book explores how meditation can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being without compromising one's ambition or edge. Harris emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in making one more resilient and better equipped to handle life's challenges, though it does not eliminate problems entirely[2][4][5].
Plus more surprising information on this fundamental human drive.
Waking Up, a top-notch meditation app with amazing teachers and a ton of courses for all levels. If you subscribe via this link: wakingup.com/tenpercent, you’ll get a 30-day free trial—and you’ll be supporting the 10% Happier team, too. Full and partial scholarships are available.
10% Happier with Dan Harris 
