Humans have a primal drive for societal status and reputation, shaping behaviors and interactions.
Evolutionary transitions led to the development of virtue-based status hierarchies in communal societies.
Contemporary society reflects the relentless pursuit of status through wealth, recognition, and social validation.
Deep dives
The Primate Propensity for Status Games and the Effects of Humiliation
Humans have a deep-rooted instinct for status games, striving to gain recognition and maintain their perceived level of status. In the podcast, the guest highlighted how this pursuit of dominance, virtue, or success is inherent in human cognition and behavior. Additionally, the discussion focused on how humiliation plays a crucial role in shaping extreme behaviors, with a proverb emphasizing that those rejected by society may resort to drastic actions to restore pride.
Evolution of Status Games: Dominance, Virtue, and Success Narratives
The podcast delved into the evolutionary transition from dominant displays like those seen in primate societies to the development of virtue and success-driven status games. It explored how communal living encouraged the emergence of reputation-based status hierarchies, emphasizing virtues like conforming to group norms and displaying competency in essential tasks. The discussion highlighted the role of communal behaviors in societal evolution.
Modern Application and Observations of Status Games
The podcast provided contemporary examples of status-seeking behaviors, from corporate offices to celebrity endorsements, showcasing how individuals are driven by this innate status detection system. It explored instances of extravagant displays of wealth and social recognition as reflections of the relentless pursuit of status in various social settings. The conversation also touched on the societal impact of status games, underscoring the intricate connection between status, behavior, and societal norms.
The Influence of Status Games during Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals become much more conscious of other people's opinions and start playing adult status games, significantly caring about their reputation and peer group standing. This leads teenagers to engage in behaviors like risk-taking to gain status from their peers, while also experiencing intense embarrassment, all driven by a heightened sensitivity to these new status dynamics.
The Role of Status in Social Interactions and Morality
Status games are found to be deeply ingrained in human behavior, influencing various interactions and moral judgments. The pursuit of status is viewed as a fundamental human need, impacting actions and decisions. Social media platforms are described as 'slot machines for status,' where individuals seek validation and reinforcement through likes and engagements, reflecting the intrinsic human desire for social recognition.
In this episode we welcome back author Will Storr whose new book, The Status Game, feels like required reading for anyone confused, curious, or worried about how politics, cults, conspiracy theories communities, social media, religious fundamentalism, polarization, and extremism are affecting us - everywhere, on and offline, across cultures, and across the world.
What is The Status Game? It’s our primate propensity to perpetually pursue points that will provide a higher level of regard among the people who can (if we provoked such a response) take those points away. And deeper still, it’s the propensity to, once we find a group of people who regularly give us those points, care about what they think more than just about anything else.
In the interview, we discuss our inescapable obsession with reputation and why we are deeply motivated to avoid losing this game through the fear of shame, ostracism, embarrassment, and humiliation while also deeply motivated to win this game by earning what will provide pride, fame, adoration, respect, and status.
