RobinZ comments on The many faces of status - Less Wrong

39 Post author: Morendil 15 April 2010 03:31PM

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Comment author: cousin_it 15 April 2010 06:45:49PM *  2 points [-]

I'll be pretty disappointed if our community accepts the idea that humiliating other people has less to do with status than comparing Pokemon collections. Which situation makes you more conscious of status: when your Pokemon collection is smaller than Bob's, or when Bob beats you up and takes your girlfriend? To really feel the concept, you have to be close to the monkey life.

Comment author: RobinZ 15 April 2010 06:53:30PM 5 points [-]

This is true, but status still isn't about who can beat up who.

Comment author: NancyLebovitz 16 April 2010 07:29:52AM 3 points [-]

In particular, the fact that armies are typically controlled by older men (in rare situations, by older women, and in one unique situation (Joan of Arc) a young woman) implies that status among humans isn't about who can personally beat up who.

Football players take orders from managers and team owners.