Status Anxiety
Alain de Botton · 2004
"We are anxious not because we are poor, but because we believe we live in a meritocracy where our wealth exactly correlates with our human worth."
In the Middle Ages, if you were a poor peasant, you didn't feel deep shame about it. You believed it was God's will. Today, if you are poor, society tells you it is entirely your own fault.
Modern society is built on the myth of the pure meritocracy—the idea that anyone can make it if they just work hard enough. The dark side of this myth is that if you don't 'make it,' you must be lazy or stupid. This causes chronic Status Anxiety.
Why does the concept of 'Meritocracy' actually increase our psychological suffering?
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The explanation above is written with AI assistance. These are the originals — go to them to check it.
- Status AnxietyThe School of Life
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