I have prejudices. When I see people, I judge whether their status is above or below me. A girl with cheap jewellery is below me. A guy with a fit body and a nice suit is above me.
Bad:
- fat
- cheap clothes and accessories
- no hairdo / lower-class hairdo
- no makeup / too much makeup
- bad posture
Good:
- slender/fit
- expensive and tasteful clothes and accessories
- cool gadgets
- proper hair and makeup
- confident posture
In the last years, my status has risen. From poor student of unreputable school in small town to successful bizdev manager of cool startup in hip town. Yay. Also I’m a bit older, which I think influences perceived status as well. Higher status has interesting effects. Joining a group of people, some turn to me and smile. The poor students ask polite questions and listen to me. After conferences, some people contact me first, before I contact them. I find this all very funny.
If you have a high status within a group of people, you can define what is appropriate and desirable, regarding style, values, behaviour etc. For example if you are the richest guy in the room, your eighties digital watch is a vintage fashion statement. If you are not, it may just be old. Defining values and all makes you more relaxed and confident about your current lifestyle, which in turn increases your status.
Status symbols like expensive jewellery, clothes, fitness etc are especially effective for first encounters. Later, your status will rather be judged by how much money you actually have, what job you have, how much you have actually read (and not just carrying around), etc. And by how well you can bully the other group members.
Status symbols vary a lot by subgroup. Especially people who cannot expect to achieve status by money anytime soon, will invent new dimensions and symbols of coolness. If someone has a better socioeconomic status than me, I try and find a different way in which I am better than they are. If a rich guy is reading yellowpress, I pull the Dostoyevski from my bag and feel intellectually superior. Same is true for example with punk, hip hop or nerd culture.
Losers are those who have no followers. Having the lowest status in a group. To gain followers, you can always declare a new dimension of values (”I don’t have a girlfriend, but I can hack.”) and attract other losers to be your followers (”I wish I was a great hacker like you.”)
That said, I’m going with the mainstream status for now. Guess I should lose some weight to conform.
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