Status Anxiety Pt. 1 (1 of 5)

[begood20000]

Men only pursue status to make better way with women. It's not like women have a choice. They're hardwired to mate with the highest status males and be picky. That's why were the most dominant species on the planet by a long stretch.

[Shaqarie]

Humans believe in Social Mobility KILLS...

[AnjaliDoney]

@c3z712 lol

[s0520]

can anyone tell me where can i find this with english subtitles??

[Terry1969ism]

typical socialist euro fag who knows nothing about America !

[elbowbiter1]

@Terry1969ism You sound like you have a lot of animosity towards this fellow? Do you want to talk about it?

[jmorrisspeaking]

@Terry1969ism you are a typical american bigot who knows nothing about himself. next time you travel try to go further than disneyland.

[PapaWilk]

@jmorrisspeaking Hey there. No need to disparage Americans. I doubt if you believe Terry is representative of the American people.

[DerrenBrown100]

@Terry1969ism You are a dumbass.

[quejess]

I read the book The Happy Minimalist about 2 years ago. In the book, the author identifies some of the points made here. The author has successfully given up status, fancy cars and big houses for a life that is debt free and healthy. Highly recommended reading!

[Pobyfish]

We resent other´s riches when we have none because our body is trying to tell us something: When you see things you want and that in themselves are good, BUT you recent the people who have them, that´s when you can identify which limiting beliefs are tripping you up. Those beliefs are exactly what´s keeping you from getting what you want. Finding out about these things is easy when you learn the methods. Ref. Brad Yates, Carol Tuttle, Brent Phillips...

[sdflksdfkfh]

This guy has it all wrong. Although status anxiety exists for some, it's not really fair to blame it on the U.S. Constitution for deeming "all men equal." It didn't say that everyone's place in life would be the same, just that they were on equal ground and could reach success, equally, if they worked hard. That's an important distinction.

[robjs89]

@sdflksdfkfh I don't think you understood. He's saying that the idea that men are on equal ground, which was enshrined in the US constitution, is what produces status anxiety today. Because i'm 'on equal ground and could reach success, equally, if [I] worked hard' implies that i'm a 'loser' or 'unworthy' if i don't reach that success. It forgets that we are never really on equal ground, the randomness of life's variables (birth, intelligence, appearance, accidents) are too many.

[sdflksdfkfh]

@robjs89 Birth, intelligence, appearance can have nothing to do with success. You can lack one or all and still be successful.

[robjs89]

@sdflksdfkfh again you haven't understood. the elements which breed success are randomly bestowed. intelligence, looks, yes, but even the motivation and courage to try, to seek help from self help books etc, self confidence, your personality... these too are things which are created by randomness. no one would not want to be motivated, and no one would not want to want to be motivaed etc etc ad infiminum... what i'm saying is that what you are is determined.

[kedordu]

@sdflksdfkfh

the riots in uk are evidence of status anxiety . it exists for most . not some

[jmorrisspeaking]

@sdflksdfkfh botton is not blaming the constitution, he's talking about an anxiety created about our self worth relating to status in a society where we're considered equal. he's not attacking the constitution, he's just discussing a psychological side affect of free society where our status supposedly reflects value. status doesn't represent our value (jesus was a carpenter) but there is a cultural suggestion in our societies that if we aren't rich we're failures or at least worth less.

[newolowa]

Does the house come with the furniture?! DOES IT?! DOES IT NOT?! WHY DID THEY CUT THAT PART OUT?!

I MUST KNOW!

[insanecaine]

I find him incredibly handsome. 

[archiebunkerfan]

if everyone on this planet would be success, according to some people in this movie...who would perform daily work ??? Many doors are closed for you to be successful, laws, competition, free trade, mafia, etc. If someone wants to dispute this...please show me your success and I will say, I m so sorry and I will shut the hell up !

[milciadescastillo]

s3nn5:

Marvelous post!!! Amazing!!! Excellent taste my friend, excellent taste!!! Thumbs up!!

[RiverChaopraya]

Always great to hear philosophy online. De Botton is very skilled in contemplating issues of everyday life in such depth and intricacy. He makes philosophy painless and pleasurable. More power to him. Thanks for great posts.

[malmn]

as if people didn't compare themselves before democracy. america is not to blame for the world's greediness. social anxiety has existed ever since humans have existed.

[maykmendo1]

I just finished the entire documentary. Wow! What a fucking piece of work! I absolutely loved it to say the very least. I recommend this to anyone and everyone. Two fucking thumbs all the way up!!!! What a ride!

[kaiserinaz]

@maykmendo1 Fuck yeah!

[philobiology]

Equality in America= Hidden Darwinism.

[milciadescastillo]

@philobiology True... soooo true!! Amazing that there are people that actually realize it!!

[davecmacdonald]

This reminds me of how couples compete.

"I can't have my wife make more than me - that's embarrassing."

"My husband will not have a higher income than me."

Even in the workplace people compete. It's not just the fancy parties - everyone wants the riches others seem to have.

[Mangina9000]

Ergh, I love this doc and have seen it before. It's really a shame that the video quality of this upload is so distorted.

[cachickensoup]

epic compression failure..

Good book though.

[mazarellalovesyou]

thank you, super interesting:)

[whyeatedpies]

a much needed analysis and thought needed here. thanks so much.

[splash6667]

What is the soundtrack at the beginning?

[wordy81]

1st one is a 'gnawing' sense of envy - literal to gnaw is to chew so metaphorically the envy is eating away at whoever. 2nd one is sometimes 'gripping' them means to grap hold of again not here used in the literal sense but means a feeling is 'gripping' hold of them.

[SuzaneVonRichthofen]

English is not my first language. Could somebody please help me with a couple of words I didn't understand?

"De Tocqueville analyzed the relationship between inequality and a (?) sense of envy" at 6:01 and "that disgust with life, sometimes (?)-ing them even in calm and easy circumstances" at 7:59.

Thanks!

[bondirimski]

Gnawing.......gripping.....

[hughlilly]

@SuzaneVonRichthofen "gnawing" and "gripping"

[Clemburke1111]

I can relate to this yrs ago, when I was younger, but not as much now adays.

[armandoazeglio]

Se olvidan que 2/3 partes de la humanidad no solo no está satifecha, sino que es terriblemente POBRE. Propongo a Botton hacer un documental similar, pero sobre el estado de ansiedas debido a la pobreza, o a la mera supervivencia

[MinorPlutocrat]

"Is that a doric column?" "Errr, uhhh..."

[ares88888]

"Is this real stone?" - "That's... called a non-standard option..."

[blaziermissy]

This is a great vid sociologically and psychologically speaking. EXCELLENT post!

[blaziermissy]

It's a stage of development that some people never mature out of....lol.

Just kidding....it's due to the environment we're in: mass consumption capitalism.

[ubertoker05]

The conscious can cope, like Botton, the rest of humanity will continually suffer within the realities of others.

[robertwc82]

its all about saying "im better than you".

[Omer7]

this is the curse of the consumer society

[bartleby451]

You Sir, are an idiot.

[southsydney]

thanks for posting this brother

[30Galleons]

He looks like Ronald McDonalds older, more serious brother

[AzoreanProud]

Capitalism...

Or even money in it self.

[endgammer]

Im sure he could have asked her if the decorator used "Corithian" leather in the home.

[raul415]

De Botton has a lovely way about him. He's able to communicate ideas in a str8 forward way. The idea that the poor in a more hierarchical system were happier is a bit hard to take. The slave and surf happier? But his overall thesis is both provoking and deeply engaging.

[doctorHOUSE]

its not his thesis . . .he is merely a mediator of philosphical thought that is not his own . . .he's a form of 'mcdonalds' . . .he is good at referencing philosophical concepts and applying them in various frameworks . . .that means 'presented in happy meal bite size chunks for the ipod generation'

i'n not having a dig AT YOU PERSONALLY . . .

[raul415]

Well I'm glad you got that off your chest. I wasn't using thesis in the acedemic sense. Even though you're being a little huffy with the whole McDonald's thingy you are entitled to your opnion of course. Overall, I think anyone who can move academic meditations, original or not into people's living rooms is doing good work by my store. If ya don't like McDonald's try Wendy's. Love Doc!

[scottosau]

While I agree somewhat with this - his prose isn't exactly the most quickly and easily digestible (at least to me). I often have to read ADB slowly.

So I don't think your point holds completely! Perhaps he's a Nandos :p

[Quantum148]

his points ring true for me a Newzealnder/Australian/ human being

[bluetigerlily]

This documentary brings up some interesting points about globalization, consumer culture and materialism but biased and full of tired anti-American clichés.

[bluetigerlily]

sorry for the typing error.

" but is biased" rather than " but biased"

[bluetigerlily]

The host is annoyingly pretentious and simplistic.

The camera is constantly jumping to morbidly obese people in every second shot. It would be nice to see some objective and balanced perspectives. Anyone who has a decent education and some intellect cannot take this seriously. It is too bad that the strongest points are lost due to the heavy-handed aspects in the majority of this piece.

[gavindaysaccount]

Truly brilliant insights.

Mark Corrigan was right!

[gtmx0000]

This is for my assignment, a great way to come across something so interesting.

[EB88]

this is the smartest guy I've ever seen.

[kieronj]

success is relative. mostly true.

[iwillbeyourvampire]

Very interesting and true.

[yidaki53]

It's very difficult to interpret Alain's expressions and tone of voice (even on DVD ;)) So it's hard to tell whether he is positive or negative about the things he say... He lacks reflexion.

Otherwise, very very good documentary. :)

[umaspace]

Thanks for doing this work; I thought it was excellent and very thought provoking. Keep going!

[yidaki53]

USA is a meritocracy...

That's why americans have so antipathic values.

Watch the whole documentary,

and remember the definition of meritocracy ;)

[bluetigerlily]

How can you generalize about an entire population's values?

I am not American but I have lived both in Europe and the US. Your statement is ignorant and just like this "documentary" it is biased with European anti-American clichés. I am sure you have never lived there.

- Mediocre thinking.

[yidaki53]

Hehe, such double-standards you display. First complaining about generalising about a country's population, then generalising about an entire continent's populations. You're just proving my image of the stereotype by doing that, since the US is "the country of double-standards".

I'm an anthropologist, all I do is generalise about cultures. Unlike you, I have both empirical data AND scientific theories, to legitimise my assumed authority on the matter.

Peace :)

[bluetigerlily]

If you are complaining about my stating that the program perpetuates "European anti-American clichés" then you are in denial. I have lived and worked in several countries throughout Europe. I myself am European. To pretend that those clichéd viewpoints are not out there is not realistic. I have experienced it consistently throughout Europe. This show is simply a refection of it.

Best.

[bluetigerlily]

Firstly my friend, I am not American so I cannot be representing Americans with my views.

Secondly, please explain the double standard and exactly where I "generalized about an entire continent's populations"?

[bluetigerlily]

With all of the American cultural, scientific and innovative accomplishments I would say that the country has contributed far more to the world than most countries in a very short amount of time. It is a country of extremes. The last way I would describe its population is mediocre.

[bluetigerlily]

Since you are stating that your authoritative views are backed by data and theory, show me the theory that proves that Americans are as you say "Mediocre". Your generalization puts your anthropological skills of observation and real field experience into question.

[bluetigerlily]

I am sorry Mr. Anthropologist but I could give a crap about your "data" and archaic field. Your studies have no "authority" over my life experience and personal observations. Live it first. Theory is just theory.

Have a great life.

[Quantum148]

Im not choosing sides here. I am watching just the start of this long series of Mr De Botton's. But I feel sorry that you do not know Alain de bottons work Bluetigerlily. He is a fair and decent man with an honest albeit british opinion. I cant imagine him being biased toward europe. he I think is using in these scenes modern america as an example (the world is americanized, as you know)

[Gacchaman1]

This seems unlikely. Anthropologists have a notorious aversion to emprical data...

[yidaki53]

I have never heard of this before, can you give any examples of this notoriety?

Anthropology is based on empirical fieldwork with roots in the pragmatism developed by C.S.Peirce. Participant observation in less academic terms.

[jkfrancis]

We do.

[mooncooninc83]

It's sad just how true this documentary is.

[myridley]

alain De botton

[SpeciousCho]

Yay!! Thank you s3nn5!!

xx