Summary of Alain De Botton's Status Anxiety

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

Sample Book Insights:

#1 The second great love story is the story of our quest for love from the world. This story is no less intense than the first, and its setbacks are no less painful.

#2 The Theory of Moral Sentiments is a book by Scottish philosopher and economist Adam Smith. It explains how the pursuit of wealth, power, and prestige is not worth it. It explains how the poor man is ashamed of his poverty, while the rich man is proud of his riches because they draw attention.

#3 The desire to rise in the social hierarchy is rooted in the respect we receive as a result of high status. While there are economic benefits to high status, the impact of low status is often felt most strongly through the challenge it poses to a person’s sense of self-respect.

#4 The pain of being unnoticed is even worse than physical torture. If no one turned around when we entered, answered when we spoke, or minded what we did, but if every person we met treated us as if we were non-existent things, we would become enraged and desperate.