For example, let's say that my goal is to find new people to join our local rationalist group. If I appear completely low status, most people won't even listen to me. And if they will, they will most likely associate LW as "something low-status people care about", so they will avoid it.

That means that playing the status game is instrumentally useful. Play the status game when it is instrumentally useful. If playing the status game is inherently useful, play the status game. If neither is true, do not play the status game.

If your identity includes "Effective Recruiter for meetups", then maintaining an appropriate status better be part of being yourself.