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By the end I wasn't convinced why I should be playing these games. What's status for? Is it going to make you happy? Alan Watts: > We thought of life by analo

by Tao331 5y ago

By the end I wasn't convinced why I should be playing these games. What's status for? Is it going to make you happy? Alan Watts: > We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or whatever it is, maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played. Maybe status gets you a big fancy grave and a televised funeral. Maybe even a "legacy" that can be tracked by structures named after you: ranging from park benches to libraries to aircraft carriers.

sanderjd 5y ago
> What's status for? Is it going to make you happy? Right, my takeaway was that status seeking is something you can use to try to achieve your personal goals, if you think conscientiously about it. It reminds me of the idea in the book Atomic Habits of first figuring out an identity, a kind of person you want to be, then identifying behaviors that would make you that kind of person, and then developing habits that reinforce those behaviors. Starting with identity works because the way we see ourselves is a powerful determinant of our behavior. For me, I think the thing I would like to be high status in is "being useful to society". Playing that status game may not make me happy, but if it succeeded in making me useful, I think that would be a good outcome.
zdbrandon 5y ago
My takeaway (not necessarily from the article, but from pondering on it) is that status is a lure. It has a certain gravity, and pulls others toward you who are playing in that same specific status game. It makes people want to be around you. Yes, you will feel this at first. So my next question was, why would I want people around me for my status? I think then, the trick is to use this lure to actually make more friends with people you wouldn’t otherwise have met. No longer because of your status, but because of all the qualities of true friendship (spending time together, self-disclosure, support in times of need, etc). With that you may lead a more fulfilling life. Would this be possible completely ignoring status? Is it even possible to completely ignore status? (Not just pretending not to play the game, but actually never thinking of how you’re perceived by others.) I guess my answer is, status == gravity. Gravity leads to more connections. Connections to friends if you work at it. Friends to a better life.

by Tao331 5y ago

sanderjd 5y ago

> What's status for? Is it going to make you happy? Right, my takeaway was that status seeking is something you can use to try to achieve your personal goals, if you think conscientiously about it. It reminds me of the idea in the book Atomic Habits of first figuring out an identity, a kind of person you want to be, then identifying behaviors that would make you that kind of person, and then developing habits that reinforce those behaviors. Starting with identity works because the way we see ourselves is a powerful determinant of our behavior. For me, I think the thing I would like to be high status in is "being useful to society". Playing that status game may not make me happy, but if it succeeded in making me useful, I think that would be a good outcome.

zdbrandon 5y ago

My takeaway (not necessarily from the article, but from pondering on it) is that status is a lure. It has a certain gravity, and pulls others toward you who are playing in that same specific status game. It makes people want to be around you. Yes, you will feel this at first. So my next question was, why would I want people around me for my status? I think then, the trick is to use this lure to actually make more friends with people you wouldn’t otherwise have met. No longer because of your status, but because of all the qualities of true friendship (spending time together, self-disclosure, support in times of need, etc). With that you may lead a more fulfilling life. Would this be possible completely ignoring status? Is it even possible to completely ignore status? (Not just pretending not to play the game, but actually never thinking of how you’re perceived by others.) I guess my answer is, status == gravity. Gravity leads to more connections. Connections to friends if you work at it. Friends to a better life.