Why Status Matters with Will Storr

Why Status Matters with Will Storr

Author: Paul Ollinger October 25, 2022 Duration: 52:08
Where do you sit on the social hierarchy?

You might not think about it daily, but if I asked you to compare your status to that of one of your friends, you'd probably know the answer: above some, below others, and probably on about the same level as most. Perhaps you'd follow up with questions like “Do you mean who has more money? Or who has more recognition in the community or who's more attractive or physically fit?” This request for clarification demonstrates the nature of status, and how we go about gaining it and retaining it, whether or not we are conscious of our efforts to do so.

My guest this week is Will Storr. He's the author of a fascinating book called The Status Game. The author of six critically acclaimed books, including The Status Game, Selfie, and The Science of Storytelling, Will’s writing has appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Yorker and the New York Times. And his journalism has been recognized with awards from the National Press Club, the One World Press and Amnesty International. If I haven't yet convinced you of his status, I’ll also share that he's a great looking guy who grows giant yams. (You'll understand that reference about 20 minutes into the episode.)

In this conversation, Will and I discuss why status matters; Whether the pursuit of status is a fool's game for small minded people with totally fragile egos; We talk about a totally bizarre source of status in Polynesia that demonstrates the arbitrariness and locally relative nature of status. We talk about whether it's better to be a big fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond. We talk about how the quest for status shows up in politics and religion and boy does it ever and lastly, we discuss how the thirst for status among even the most rich and famous among us, like Sir Paul McCartney, demonstrate the insatiable need for this elusive and addictive drug that is STATUS.

🎧Listen on Apple Podcasts here 🎧
✍️Get Paul’s Substack newsletter here.✍️
🔥Subscribe to us on YouTube here. 🔥

Follow Will Storr:
Twitter - https://bit.ly/3D84YVg (@wstorr)
The Status Game: The Book - https://amzn.to/3TnazNi

Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe

Paul Ollinger has worn a few different hats-stand-up comedian, tech executive, and now, the curious host of Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger. This isn't a lecture series or a dry self-help guide. Instead, it feels more like pulling up a chair for a series of genuinely engaging talks that wander into the places where our daily lives, careers, and inner worlds collide. The conversations, which feature authors, thinkers, and various creatives, are refreshingly candid. They dig into the practical and philosophical questions about what it actually means to build a life that feels both successful and satisfying. You'll find that each episode of this podcast approaches big themes-money, purpose, and the pursuit of contentment-with a blend of wit and thoughtful depth. The underlying idea isn't about finding a perfect, Instagram-ready version of happiness, but something more grounded and attainable. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if there's a smarter, more meaningful way to navigate the pressures of business and culture without losing sight of what matters. Tuning in, you get the sense that Paul is figuring it out alongside his guests, making the insights feel earned and relatable. The result is a consistently interesting exploration of how we can all aim for a life that feels reasonably, and authentically, well-lived.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 321

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
Podcast Episodes
The Price of College with Ron Lieber - Ep 95 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:49
If you have kids in or nearing college age, you HAVE to listen to this episode. Ron Lieber’s new book, The Price You Pay for College contains critical, in-depth information about one of the most important financial decis…
Working Ourselves to Death with Daniel Markovits - Ep 94 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:20
Daniel Markovits is the Guido Calabresi Professor of Law at Yale Law School and the author of The Meritocracy Trap in which he outlines the price meritocracy imposes on society. In addition to severely limiting opportuni…
Managing Our Desires with William Irvine - Ep 93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:24
William “Bill” Irvine is an author, philosophy professor, and an active investor who describes his intended audience as "intellectually-upscale readers who have a minimal background in philosophy but who are interested i…
Getting the Most from Life with Jesse Itzler - Ep 92 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:13
Jesse Itzler only eats fruit 'til noon, loves Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life "out of the box." The author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet c…
Happiness Around the Globe with John Helliwell - Ep 90 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:48
John Helliwell is Professor emeritus of Economics at University of British Columbia and editor of The World Happiness Report, a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their…
Real Life Diff'rent Strokes with Kay Madati - Ep 89 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:08
Kay Madati was born to a single, Tanzanian mother who died when he was 12. Kay and his brother were then adopted by a very affluent caucasian couple who lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. His new family situation…
Giving thanks, literally with A.J. Jacobs - ENCORE EPISODE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
In this special Thanksgiving encore episode, I talk to A.J. Jacobs about his latest book, Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey, in which he expresses gratitude to a thousand people who are involved with getting him his…
Life after the PGA Championship with Rich Beem - Ep 88 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:44
Rich Beem won the 2002 PGA Championship, one of professional golf’s four major tournaments. Despite having won twice on tour prior to the PGA, Rich's win at Hazeltine was as unlikely as the groovy dance moves he busted o…