Summary of Will Storr's The Status Game

By IRB Media

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

Book Preview: #1 Ben was 14 when he attacked and killed a boy who was 11. He called 999 and said he’d killed a boy, but didn’t explain why. He was sentenced to an indefinite term at Her Majesty’s pleasure. In prison, they treated him as if he was worthless. He attempted escapes and tried to starve himself to death.

#2 By 2010, Ben had been in prison for thirty years, three times longer than the minimum tariff demanded. He should have been released decades ago. But every time an opportunity for parole came up, he managed to supply the prison service with a new reason to deny it.

#3 When you take a human and strip them of all the esteem they desire, how do they save themselves. They build a life for themselves. They become famous for fighting the system, and they are.

#4 We rarely say that we do the things we do because of status. We rarely admit to being motivated by improving our rank. We readily recognize it in others and even use it as an insult.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Mar 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669364405

IRB Media

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Insights on Will Storr's The Status Game

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 3

Insights from Chapter 4

Insights from Chapter 5

Insights from Chapter 6

Insights from Chapter 7

Insights from Chapter 8

Insights from Chapter 9

Insights from Chapter 10

Insights from Chapter 11

Insights from Chapter 12

Insights from Chapter 13

Insights from Chapter 14

Insights from Chapter 15

Insights from Chapter 16

Insights from Chapter 17

Insights from Chapter 18

Insights from Chapter 19

Insights from Chapter 20

Insights from Chapter 21

Insights from Chapter 22

Insights from Chapter 23

Insights from Chapter 24

Insights from Chapter 25

Insights from Chapter 26

Insights from Chapter 27

Insights from Chapter 28

Insights from Chapter 29

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

Ben was 14 when he attacked and killed a boy who was 11. He called 999 and said he’d killed a boy, but didn’t explain why. He was sentenced to an indefinite term at Her Majesty’s pleasure. In prison, they treated him as if he was worthless. He attempted escapes and tried to starve himself to death.

#2

By 2010, Ben had been in prison for thirty years, three times longer than the minimum tariff demanded. He should have been released decades ago. But every time an opportunity for parole came up, he managed to supply the prison service with a new reason to deny it.

#3

When you take a human and strip them of all the esteem they desire, how do they save themselves. They build a life for themselves. They become famous for fighting the system, and they are.

#4

We rarely say that we do the things we do because of status. We rarely admit to being motivated by improving our rank. We readily recognize it in others and even use it as an insult.

#5

Ben’s story shows us that it’s possible to survive everything being taken from us. He became useful to his co-players in their conflicts against the prison staff, and he grew to be admired and valuable.

Insights from Chapter 2

#1

We are a species of great ape that survives by belonging to highly co-operative groups that share labor. We have instincts that compel us to seek connection with coalitions of others. We strive to achieve their approval and acclaim, which is critical for our survival.

#2

When our lives begin to fail, our minds and bodies fail too: we can become sick, angry, antisocial, and increasingly isolated. We are, writes Cacioppo, creatures shaped by evolution to feel safe in company and endangered when unwillingly alone.

#3

The effects of failing to