AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
2min snip
E81: Status, Sacred, and Neglected Truths with Robin Hanson
"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg
Prestige Over Dominance: The Key to Obedience
Humans have a natural aversion to dominance, complicating the dynamics of authority in social structures. We often conflate dominance with prestige, allowing us to justify our obedience to leaders. Although societal norms encourage disapproval of bosses and dominance, people still obey due to the perceived prestige of these figures. The differential acceptance of authority is rooted in the distinction between admiration for prestige and submission to dominance. Thus, society tends to select leaders based on prestige markers, as their elevated status allows for acceptable deference. Leaders, therefore, must embody various forms of prestige, including charisma and generosity, to effectively gain acceptance and obedience from their followers.
00:00
Transcript
Episode notes
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode