The Status Game: On Social Position and How We Use It
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- Create Date：2021-10-31 08:51:10
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Will Storr
- ISBN：0008354642
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Summary
From the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Science of Storytelling， a bold and ambitious investigation of the hidden structure behind human behaviour: status What drives our political and moral beliefs？ What makes us like some things and dislike others？ What shapes how we behave， and misbehave， in groups？ What makes you， you？
For centuries， philosophers and scholars have described human behaviour in terms of sex， power and money。 In The Status Game， bestselling author Will Storr radically turns this thinking on its head by arguing that it is our irrepressible craving for status that ultimately defines who we are。
From the era of the hunter-gatherer to today， when we exist as workers in the globalised economy and citizens of online worlds， the need for status has always been wired into us。 A wealth of research shows that how much of it we possess dramatically affects not only our happiness and wellbeing but also our physical health – and without sufficient status， we become more ill， and live shorter lives。 It’s an unconscious obsession that drives the best and worst of us: our innovation， arts and civilisation as well as our murders， wars and genocides。 But why is status such an all-consuming prize？ What happens if it’s taken away from us？ And how can our unquenchable thirst for it explain cults， moral panics， conspiracy theories， the rise of social media and the ‘culture wars’ of today？
On a breathtaking journey through time and culture， The Status Game offers a sweeping rethink of human psychology that will change how you see others – and how you see yourself。
For centuries， philosophers and scholars have described human behaviour in terms of sex， power and money。 In The Status Game， bestselling author Will Storr radically turns this thinking on its head by arguing that it is our irrepressible craving for status that ultimately defines who we are。
From the era of the hunter-gatherer to today， when we exist as workers in the globalised economy and citizens of online worlds， the need for status has always been wired into us。 A wealth of research shows that how much of it we possess dramatically affects not only our happiness and wellbeing but also our physical health – and without sufficient status， we become more ill， and live shorter lives。 It’s an unconscious obsession that drives the best and worst of us: our innovation， arts and civilisation as well as our murders， wars and genocides。 But why is status such an all-consuming prize？ What happens if it’s taken away from us？ And how can our unquenchable thirst for it explain cults， moral panics， conspiracy theories， the rise of social media and the ‘culture wars’ of today？
On a breathtaking journey through time and culture， The Status Game offers a sweeping rethink of human psychology that will change how you see others – and how you see yourself。
Reviews
A Need to Read
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This hidden necessity is scarily missed by most of us。 But status is one of the most important factors in life， we should educate ourselves on this， so we can each play the game in the least harmful way。
Ian
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I listened to the audiobook version of this one。 I am struggling a bit with audiobooks just now because I prefer to listen to them in the car， and I do far less driving than I did pre-Covid。 Long gaps between listening make it harder for me to keep the thread of a book。My overall reaction was mixed。 The author’s contention is that humans are motivated by an （unconscious） desire for status rather than by wealth or power， although to me the three are so intertwined that it’s hard to distinguish th I listened to the audiobook version of this one。 I am struggling a bit with audiobooks just now because I prefer to listen to them in the car， and I do far less driving than I did pre-Covid。 Long gaps between listening make it harder for me to keep the thread of a book。My overall reaction was mixed。 The author’s contention is that humans are motivated by an （unconscious） desire for status rather than by wealth or power， although to me the three are so intertwined that it’s hard to distinguish them。 Broadly speaking I agree with his point of view and was of a similar mind before reading the book。 I did feel though， that he overstated his case at times。 I veered between a 3 and a 4-star rating， but I’ve gone for four as there was a lot in here that was useful。He argues that people compete for status both as individuals and as members of groups。 The most obvious form of status is to gain rank and compel others to do your bidding， but it can be achieved in many other ways， for example by adopting the role of a moral enforcer and publicly condemning those who do not adhere to prevailing moral standards。 This can lead to public acclaim and raised status for the enforcer and to seriously lowered status for the transgressor。 This process has operated at a local level for millennia， with often dreadful consequences， but the advent of social media means it can now be on a global scale。 People can also earn status by demonstrating competence to other members of a group - work teams， sports teams etc – in a way that assists all the group members to rise in status。 The big problem with status of course， is that it’s relative。 Rises in status generally come only at the expense of reductions in status for others。At one point the author discusses “status drunkenness”， in which very high-status players require more and more affirmation。 This is the source of “prima donna” behaviours， where celebrities， CEOs， politicians etc reinforce their status by making others comply with ever more ridiculous demands - a clear dominance display。There was a really interesting chapter on the “Satanic Panic” of 1980s USA。 It’s often described as a moral panic， but the author argues that the psychiatrists and therapists involved were granted huge rises in status。 They were deferentially interviewed on TV and were the key speakers at a continuous whirl of conferences; were awarded huge grants for “research”; and were hailed as heroes by the press。 I still feel the moral panic had something to do with it， but I can see how the professionals involved had a huge stake in keeping the scare going。 There was another discussion on the rise of the “New Left” and the “New Right” that I thought made some valid points。Some other chapters seemed weaker。 One， on the rise of the Nazis， didn’t entirely convince me。 Another discussed mass killers， including Ted Kaczynski。 I hadn’t known that one of his professors at Harvard forced him into a weird psychology experiment that involved him being ridiculed and humiliated once a week for 3 years。 The author suggests this played a part in his subsequent hatred for society。 That sounds plausible， but he didn’t mention that Kaczynski himself denied the experiment affected the course of his life。 Still - Note to Psychology Professors – don’t force your students into unethical experiments designed to crush their self-respect。 The book has a somewhat depressing and maybe a one-dimensional view of human nature， but it’s also given me a better understanding of what I’ve previously thought were inexplicable behaviours in others。 It’s also given me food for thought about my own motivations！ 。。。more
AJ
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Once you see/ get it you can't I see it anymore。。。 Everything is seen in it's cold starkness when viewed with these lense。。 Once you see/ get it you can't I see it anymore。。。 Everything is seen in it's cold starkness when viewed with these lense。。 。。。more
Tai Tai
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"The meaning of life is not to win but to play。""For humans， equality will always be the impossible dream。" "The meaning of life is not to win but to play。""For humans， equality will always be the impossible dream。" 。。。more
Tomasz Gut
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Amazingly good book！
Sam
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I can't unsee games。 I can't believe how lucky I am to have come across this book so early in my life。 This book is a game changer。 I can't unsee games。 I can't believe how lucky I am to have come across this book so early in my life。 This book is a game changer。 。。。more
Giorgio Giuliani
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This is really mind blowing。 It gives a clear description and explanation to many facts and trends I’ve spotted in society for many years， but couldn’t really understand。Fantastic read。
James R。
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I love Will Store's writing anyway but this topic was particularly interesting。 He takes lots of seemingly peculiar human behaviour and filters it through the concept of "status games" which people play。 It's a relatively simple idea that offers an interesting insight into some of the weirdest human motivations。 A thoroughly entertaining book。 I love Will Store's writing anyway but this topic was particularly interesting。 He takes lots of seemingly peculiar human behaviour and filters it through the concept of "status games" which people play。 It's a relatively simple idea that offers an interesting insight into some of the weirdest human motivations。 A thoroughly entertaining book。 。。。more
Gary Johnson
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RevelatoryA powerful lens explaining a great deal - from big history to culture wars。 Feeling a little wiser for reading it。 Thanks， Will！
James
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A paradigm shifting readVery interesting conceptual take on society and history。 While many of the concepts are not necessarily here and some of the history has been well covered， the overarching narrative drawing it all together felt fairly novel and compelling to me。 After reading this I intend to do more research on the topic。
Chris Boutté
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