C1 – Advanced
It’s quite normal when we meet someone new at a gathering or a party to be asked this common question “What do you do?” That’s one of the many reasons we aspire to advance in our position in the society including greater influence, higher quality of life, and well-being.
Notably, the desire for higher status may be accompanied by the experience of status anxiety. Status anxiety, according to Wikipedia can be defined as the constant tension or fear of being perceived as “unsuccessful” by the society in materialistic terms. Today, every individual constantly tries to outsmart others to climb up the social ladder.
Watch the video below to learn more about anxiety status.
Discussion Questions:
- What is status anxiety? Are you particularly conscious of your status in the society?
- What are the factors that lead us to prove ourselves to the society?
- Do you think people around us in the world we live in are snobs or judgmental?
- Is it important to be at the top of your league?
- Do we have to conform with the society’s status standards?
- What is the best way to deal with status anxiety? Explain your point.
2 replies on “Status Anxiety”
1. It is the feeling of not being accept by society because you are not successful. I think I have a good status and in general I feel lucky because of having the opportunities I had in life.
2. We seek money and recognition, because it society in general will treat you better than if you don’t have any of it. For example, it is very common that people cheer a famous person in the street, however, a poor person will not be noticed for mostly anyone (or even avoided).
3. There is no people around for me, it is US. Society shapes us and depending on which social ‘stratum’ we are, we see the world in different ways. Even people that knows it have to make an effort for not being so influenced by society.
4. For me is important to develop my potential, if that means reaching the top then it is important. However, the important thing is to develop my potential, not to reach anything.
5. Most of the time, if you don’t follow the standards, you will be treated badly and nobody wants it. So we have to deal with it if we want to diverge.
6. I think the best way is to have a clear and achievable objetive. If you don’t have any objective then you will make the objectives of other people (or society) as yours. This is problematic, because maybe they are not at your reach and that means more anxiety.
Great job sharing your answers about this interesting topic.
Here is something you can write better by not using the same word in one sentence:
Keep going and see yourself improve more and more.