Will Storr

I mean, that's the most extreme form of, you know, what I call a status game where you, where, where people have one identity, one story, one status game. And, and that's it. I mean, that's why people in cults are usually encouraged to not even contact family and friends anymore because they, they cannot be allowed to have any other source of,

I mean, that's the most extreme form of, you know, what I call a status game where you, where, where people have one identity, one story, one status game. And, and that's it. I mean, that's why people in cults are usually encouraged to not even contact family and friends anymore because they, they cannot be allowed to have any other source of,

I mean, that's the most extreme form of, you know, what I call a status game where you, where, where people have one identity, one story, one status game. And, and that's it. I mean, that's why people in cults are usually encouraged to not even contact family and friends anymore because they, they cannot be allowed to have any other source of,

Any other story, any other identity, any other source of status. And, you know, a religion is just a slightly weaker form of a cult. A political party is a weaker form of a cult. And, you know, Karen going down and down the line, you know, all groups are kind of loose or tight and the tightest is the cult.

Any other story, any other identity, any other source of status. And, you know, a religion is just a slightly weaker form of a cult. A political party is a weaker form of a cult. And, you know, Karen going down and down the line, you know, all groups are kind of loose or tight and the tightest is the cult.

Any other story, any other identity, any other source of status. And, you know, a religion is just a slightly weaker form of a cult. A political party is a weaker form of a cult. And, you know, Karen going down and down the line, you know, all groups are kind of loose or tight and the tightest is the cult.

Yeah, so you've mentioned mimesis a couple of times. So the copying instinct and how that tends to work in human groups is that we are unconsciously constantly on the lookout for people like us. So people that we identify with who are higher status than us. And when we identify like a high status version of ourselves, we tend to automatically start copying them. That's when the mimesis kicks in.

Yeah, so you've mentioned mimesis a couple of times. So the copying instinct and how that tends to work in human groups is that we are unconsciously constantly on the lookout for people like us. So people that we identify with who are higher status than us. And when we identify like a high status version of ourselves, we tend to automatically start copying them. That's when the mimesis kicks in.

Yeah, so you've mentioned mimesis a couple of times. So the copying instinct and how that tends to work in human groups is that we are unconsciously constantly on the lookout for people like us. So people that we identify with who are higher status than us. And when we identify like a high status version of ourselves, we tend to automatically start copying them. That's when the mimesis kicks in.

So we will want to get near them. So that might be by flattering them. If they're a celebrity, it might be by buying their products. joining their, you know, social media feeds, you know, going to their concerts. We might start mimicking their patterns of behavior, the way they talk, the way they dress, their artistic tastes.

So we will want to get near them. So that might be by flattering them. If they're a celebrity, it might be by buying their products. joining their, you know, social media feeds, you know, going to their concerts. We might start mimicking their patterns of behavior, the way they talk, the way they dress, their artistic tastes.

So we will want to get near them. So that might be by flattering them. If they're a celebrity, it might be by buying their products. joining their, you know, social media feeds, you know, going to their concerts. We might start mimicking their patterns of behavior, the way they talk, the way they dress, their artistic tastes.

We will automatically, yeah, and unconsciously that's because our brain has gone, well, this is a person like me who's got high status. I want high status. So the more I can make myself like this person, the more likely I am to rise up that status game.

We will automatically, yeah, and unconsciously that's because our brain has gone, well, this is a person like me who's got high status. I want high status. So the more I can make myself like this person, the more likely I am to rise up that status game.

We will automatically, yeah, and unconsciously that's because our brain has gone, well, this is a person like me who's got high status. I want high status. So the more I can make myself like this person, the more likely I am to rise up that status game.

Yeah, well, there's lots of different kinds of status, but there are three main kinds of ways that we can earn status in human groups. The first way is dominance. So that's the much more animalistic way, the much more ancient way. So dominance is violence, the threat of violence, also the threat of social violence. ostracization, cancel culture, all that would come under dominance.

Yeah, well, there's lots of different kinds of status, but there are three main kinds of ways that we can earn status in human groups. The first way is dominance. So that's the much more animalistic way, the much more ancient way. So dominance is violence, the threat of violence, also the threat of social violence. ostracization, cancel culture, all that would come under dominance.

Yeah, well, there's lots of different kinds of status, but there are three main kinds of ways that we can earn status in human groups. The first way is dominance. So that's the much more animalistic way, the much more ancient way. So dominance is violence, the threat of violence, also the threat of social violence. ostracization, cancel culture, all that would come under dominance.

And then there's the other two kind of forms which are based on our reputation, our identity. And so the first one is competence. So we become good at stuff. So we become valuable to our group. by becoming an excellent hunter or an excellent honey finder or an excellent storyteller or an excellent sorcerer. And so people respond to us by rewarding us with status.

And then there's the other two kind of forms which are based on our reputation, our identity. And so the first one is competence. So we become good at stuff. So we become valuable to our group. by becoming an excellent hunter or an excellent honey finder or an excellent storyteller or an excellent sorcerer. And so people respond to us by rewarding us with status.