You Are Not So Smart 268 - The Status Game - Will Storr (rebroadcast)
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Sep 3, 2023 
Author Will Storr discusses the status game, our obsession with reputation, and the motivation to win or avoid losing this game through pride, shame, and ostracism. The podcast explores the role of humiliation, the human thirst for status, and how different cultures measure and achieve status using various symbols and rules. The speakers also express admiration and emphasize the importance of understanding and appreciation.
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Status Game Is Inescapable
- The status game is innate, constant, and all humans play it across contexts.
- We are motivated to avoid losing status and to gain pride, respect, and adoration through it.
Prison Status Shapes Identity
- Ben Gunn preferred prison life because he had status and identity there as the jailhouse lawyer.
- Leaving prison made him feel lost and without a clear sense of self.
Writer's Career Tied to Status
- Will Storr's life as a writer makes him vulnerable to status changes.
- Losing status in his career would lead him to feel suicidal.