Why are so many people "status seekers"?

[Ronnie Jay]

I figured I would create a thread not related to approaching women.


It seems, at least here in the states, lots of people are status seekers. Be it social status, job title status or whatever.


What's your take?

[Jean DeCuir]

Because as humans we are vulnerable and useless, and we have this need (and deep fear) of not being respected, but even more deep, not being loved. In the end, our must primary need (in most of the times, because when we need to take a piss then we need that's the primary need) is to be loved. Even Hitler wanted to be loved, i mean, he had a dog and got married, and why do you think Darth Vader told Luker he was his father? Being loved is the ultimate need. That's why none of us should be scared of putting the body on the line and be on vulnerable positions. We are vulnerable by nature and accepting that is actually a great proove of transcendence.

[Heisenberg]

I think of status more like an aura you exude. People tend to respect you more if you have status.

For example, a well spoken, confident man in a suit vs a guy decked out in dirty, torn clothes, who can't look people in the eye and speaks with a lisp.

Their life situations are irreverent (although projected), the well spoken man demands more respect.

He has higher status, not BECAUSE of the suit, not BECAUSE he speaks well, but because of the way he has them together... the "whole package".

It feels good to be in a position of status as a man especially. It gives you options and confidence that others will respect your will, and if you're in leadership position, they will be more likely to thankfully follow your directives without resistance.

Thats just my take, I'm sure there is a lot more to it psychologically.

[Zelazny]

I think status is just a "quick hack" that evolution made to get us to work together. Solitary animals don't need to form social hierarchies. All that needs to happen is simply fight and win or lose over something, with most animals ignoring eachother unless they feel a threat exists.

Cue social animals. You have to work together, but this invariably requires a leader that initiates action or decides upon it. You can't have a pack of wolves deciding how to split up or hunt by stopping and fighting eachother all the time. Instead, social animals simply remembered how old interactions went, read cues (Who is the strongest, who is the most dominant?) and assigned a status to themselves and others. This was a lot easier than continually fighting, but led to all kinds of status behaviour to assert dominance and go up in the hierarchy.

And this part of our mental make-up is still there and always-on. Sort of like those google glasses. We already have that. Our brain is continually scanning for threats, reading facial cues, interpreting body language, deciding if people are lying, checking for signs of attraction, making you aware of your need for food and heightening your sense of smell when you smell good food.

You can't not be status aware. You can choose, however, how you try to exert your status. Some do it through social dominance, some through display of wealth and achievements and some do it by simply choosing their own life and not 'giving away' their status to the social dominance plays of others.