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I'm struggling to see the link between status and working on something obscure. Working on something you like (or even having a choice of things to work on at a

by thom 6y ago

I'm struggling to see the link between status and working on something obscure. Working on something you like (or even having a choice of things to work on at all), even if it's something others find trivial or pointless, still seems like a privilege.

macawfish 6y ago
I think in this case, they're using the word "status" to refer more to how people might perceive someone relative to certain societal norms, whereas privilege is more about the basic abilities or advantages someone has because of their "socioeconomic status". The tweet thread is using the word "status" a little differently than a sociologist might use it when talking about "socioeconomic status".
- thom 6y ago
  I understand that, I just mean the two are related: I think lots of pastimes of billionaires are silly, for example, but the fact they have the money and time to do them is a sign of status. If I can go off and spend years on some ‘silly’ project, I’m probably not worrying about putting food on the table, and therefore must have achieved some degree of status.
gwbas1c 6y ago
I interpreted this to mean that someone toiling through the ranks of an organization "keeping the lights on" is more likely to be successful that someone who specifically tries to get a leadership role in an organization. Or, someone who enters politics by joining local committees, volunteering to help other candidates, and maybe running for an "insignificant" office will have more success than someone who enters politics by running for mayor, governor, or president as their first endeavor. But, more specifically, I interpret "looking like they're working on something silly or insignificant" to basically mean finding tasks that are critical for the survival of the organization; but might not come with the prestige of a leadership title.
- thom 6y ago
  Fair enough, but the way it’s phrased sounds like someone working on obscure software like a bingo card creator. Would anyone say working as a junior engineer is ‘silly’?!

by thom 6y ago

macawfish 6y ago

I think in this case, they're using the word "status" to refer more to how people might perceive someone relative to certain societal norms, whereas privilege is more about the basic abilities or advantages someone has because of their "socioeconomic status". The tweet thread is using the word "status" a little differently than a sociologist might use it when talking about "socioeconomic status".

thom 6y ago
I understand that, I just mean the two are related: I think lots of pastimes of billionaires are silly, for example, but the fact they have the money and time to do them is a sign of status. If I can go off and spend years on some ‘silly’ project, I’m probably not worrying about putting food on the table, and therefore must have achieved some degree of status.

gwbas1c 6y ago

I interpreted this to mean that someone toiling through the ranks of an organization "keeping the lights on" is more likely to be successful that someone who specifically tries to get a leadership role in an organization. Or, someone who enters politics by joining local committees, volunteering to help other candidates, and maybe running for an "insignificant" office will have more success than someone who enters politics by running for mayor, governor, or president as their first endeavor. But, more specifically, I interpret "looking like they're working on something silly or insignificant" to basically mean finding tasks that are critical for the survival of the organization; but might not come with the prestige of a leadership title.

thom 6y ago
Fair enough, but the way it’s phrased sounds like someone working on obscure software like a bingo card creator. Would anyone say working as a junior engineer is ‘silly’?!