The Excitement of Drawing Diagrams and Understanding the Complexity

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Reading and taking notes made me realize the complexity of the topic, and I found it fascinating. Our brains are wired to seek out and prioritize social hierarchies, which is beneficial for our species. However, this also means we are constantly driven to care about these dynamics. Natural selection has shaped our brains this way. Additionally, studies have shown that even small status indicators, like a pen on a desk, can significantly impact individuals' behavior. This phenomenon has been observed in corporations as well, where high-ranking individuals received special desk sets. This intriguing concept has excited and engaged me, as it reveals a deeper understanding of human psychology.

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.