5 ms·
I suspect it's almost impossible to escape the status game. People who play the game of escaping ego often sadly get trapped in a different kind of status game
by spacebanana7 3y ago
I suspect it's almost impossible to escape the status game.
People who play the game of escaping ego often sadly get trapped in a different kind of status game. Think of monks chasing ever great asceticism. Humanists chasing moral purity. Fashion evaders seeking indie brands, thrift stores or other enterprises with the lowest marketing spend.
- scandox 3y agoSome people are visibly working harder for less reward in this game.
- ioblomov 3y agoI’d have to agree. Almost by definition, social organisms can’t escape obsessing over hierarchy. Whether on the African savanna or the corporate cube farm, the most we can hope for are flatter org charts.
- wanderingbit 3y agoBut to the authors point, if we allow everyone to subvert status enough and create their own subgroups, then eventually each person will either be at the top of their chosen status hierarchy, or they will be above average in enough subgroups that they’ll be content. It reminds me of the mathematician’s saying: “When in doubt invert, always invert”
- dkjaudyeqooe 3y agoI think it is quite possible, but you have to be committed to it and you have to have a bit of contempt for other people's opinions about things that don't matter. Probably the easiest way to do it is to try and live on as little money as possible, spending money on only things that can be logically justified. Of course you have to be honest with yourself, since self delusion in strong in humans. I buy very simple clothes, no jewelry, the cheapest food, try not to own more than I need to and try to be rational about housing and a car. It has the great benefit of not needing much money to live and the freedom that it brings. The rat race is a very real thing. It doesn't really work if you have a family, or a certain kind of social life, but otherwise it's actually quite fun.
- nickd2001 3y agoThat all sounds like a good way to live :) And a very good idea for nature and the planet to have any chance of surviving humankind's consumption. You can make this work with a family, I feel. At least, we've managed this a bit so far. Although, its quite funny. Charity shops sell lots of excellent nearly new kids clothes. Our kids are fine with those, especially as they see it goes to a good cause and is a form of recycling. Last year my wife found a nice top for our daughter which turned out to be a posh brand. On a non-uniform day a schoolmate said "wow you've got that, you're so lucky" to which our daughter cheerfully replied it was like £1 in a charity shop. Which flummoxed her friend. It's like, that's somehow "not the thing to do" to buy this barely used item at a charity shop. I guess that's all about status? Somehow its low status to buy something at a charity shop even though its pragmatic? But then, increasingly in some countries, second-hand clothes are actually now becoming the fashionable thing to do. I offer this as an illustration of how utterly fickle it is as well. What's high status one month is low another, and vice versa. People are moving the goalposts all the time. Rationally, makes sense to avoid this game altogether.
- petra 3y agoSmall "ancient" tribes are generally egalitarian. It's possible to escape status.
- Viliam1234 3y agoIs there any evidence for that?