The Next Big Idea

chevron_right

Life Is a Game. Here's How to Play It.

whatshot 93 snips

Oct 10, 2024

Guest

Will Storr

Join Will Storr, acclaimed science writer and author of The Status Game, as he explores life as a competitive game driven by status. He discusses how our instincts for social connection shape perceptions of self-worth, often leading to feelings of inadequacy. Storr emphasizes the importance of consciously navigating status dynamics, sharing intriguing examples from history and modern society. He also reflects on the complexities of fulfillment and identity, revealing how our pursuit of status influences happiness and human behavior.

01:31:20

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Status as Feeling Valued

Humans are motivated by the desire to feel valued and respected, not just fame and money.
Status can be measured in countless ways, depending on the specific values of a group.

insights

INSIGHT

Evolutionary Basis of Status

Status seeking behaviors have roots in our hunter-gatherer past.
Higher status in those groups meant better resources, safety, and reproductive success.

insights

INSIGHT

Status as a Zero-Sum Game

The status game is a zero-sum game.
Not everyone can have high status, as status is inherently relative.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Status Game: Connection and Self-Worth

02:35 • 6min

chevron_right

Navigating the Status Game: Emotions and Choices

08:38 • 2min

chevron_right

The Dynamics of Status in Human Interaction

10:36 • 23min

chevron_right

The Yam Status Competition in Pompeii

33:19 • 3min

chevron_right

Exploring the Complexities of Status and Superiority

36:02 • 3min

chevron_right

The Dynamics of Status in Human Society

38:42 • 12min

chevron_right

The Influence of Status and Humiliation

50:49 • 11min

chevron_right

The Hero's Narrative: Bias and Belief

01:02:09 • 6min

chevron_right

The Dynamics of Status and Self-Worth

01:08:32 • 19min

chevron_right

Navigating the Status Game: Insights and Reflections

01:27:04 • 3min

chevron_right

#96

• Mentioned in 108 episodes

Dopamine Nation

Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence

Anna Lembke, MD

In 'Dopamine Nation,' Dr. Anna Lembke delves into the scientific discoveries that explain why overindulgence in high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli leads to pain. The book combines personal narratives from her clinical practice with the latest psychology research to illustrate how to find contentment and connectedness by keeping dopamine in check. Lembke discusses the impact of modern addictions, such as those related to smartphones, food, and other behaviors, and provides strategies for managing consumption and transforming lives. The book emphasizes the importance of balancing the science of desire with the wisdom of recovery.

#142

• Mentioned in 86 episodes

From Strength to Strength

Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life

Arthur C Brooks

In 'From Strength to Strength', Arthur C. Brooks addresses the inevitable decline in abilities that comes with aging and provides a practical guide on how to transform this period into an opportunity for growth. Drawing on social science, philosophy, biography, theology, and eastern wisdom, as well as interviews with everyday men and women, Brooks advocates for refocusing on priorities such as deep wisdom, detachment from empty rewards, connection and service to others, and spiritual progress. He argues that by adapting our expectations and focusing on these areas, we can achieve increased happiness and purpose in our later years.

#385

• Mentioned in 43 episodes

The Dawn of Everything

A New History of Humanity

David Wengrow

David Graeber

This book offers a dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging fundamental assumptions about social evolution, the development of agriculture, cities, the state, democracy, and inequality. Graeber and Wengrow argue that traditional theories of human history, such as those posited by Hobbes and Rousseau, are not supported by anthropological or archaeological evidence. Instead, they show that humans have lived in large, complex, but decentralized societies for millennia, often without ruling elites or hierarchical systems. The authors draw on extensive research in archaeology and anthropology to reveal a history that is more varied and hopeful than previously assumed, emphasizing human experimentation with different social arrangements and the potential for new forms of freedom and societal organization.

#220

• Mentioned in 61 episodes

4000 Weeks

Oliver Burkeman

A book about time management and how to live a more fulfilling life.

#1900

• Mentioned in 13 episodes

The Science of Storytelling

Why Stories Make Us Human and How to Tell Them Better

Will Storr

#3907

• Mentioned in 7 episodes

Selfie

How We Became So Self-Obsessed and What It Is Doing To Us

Will Storr

#346

• Mentioned in 46 episodes

The Status Game

Will Storr

#29

• Mentioned in 199 episodes

The Anxious Generation

Jonathan Haidt

In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.

“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 by acclaimed science 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.

(This conversation first aired in October 2022.)

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books