Category Archives: Status

Power and Powerlessness: The Eternal Struggle Over Social Status (2-15-21)

The philosopher Isaiah Berlin on the source of Stoicism's popularity: pic.twitter.com/eMTKAwgocp — Rob Henderson (@robkhenderson) February 15, 2021 "Because journalism, particularly at the highest level, is about raw power…there is only one way the press maintains its power in society: … Continue reading

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Envy Up, Scorn Down: How Status Divides Us

Professor Susan Fiske wrote in this 2011 book: * Walking down a dark alley, you spot an approaching figure. What is the first thing you want to know? If you are a sentry, you cry out, “Halt! Who goes there? … Continue reading

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NYT: Rising anxiety over declining social status tells us a lot about how we got here and where we’re going

Why is status important? After survival, it is probably the most powerful human impulse because it has so much sway over one’s long-term survival and likelihood of successful reproduction. The opposite of status is humiliation. Constant humiliation results in loneliness … Continue reading

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Status Signalling

Comment: Most people, even most really smart and accomplished people, express ideas for social reasons that have little to do with the rightness or wrongness of the idea. Often, this is about using your expressed ideas as a badge of … Continue reading

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Short Emails Show Higher Status

From Chateau Heartiste: …and the advice in this article to emulate the email habits of successful businessmen: Want to get ahead? Emulate the super-successful and never send a long email. […] “For various reasons, short emails are more associated with … Continue reading

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