path: root/stating-the-obvious.rst

Stating the Obvious
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:date: 2016-06-25T11:43:58
:category: faith
:tags: euro, EU, politics, blogcomment, status, anxiety

(originally posted as a comment on the blogpost “`Few quick thoughts on
Brexit`_” by Chris Arnade)

I am still confused by the book “`Status Anxiety`_” by Alain de Botton.
Either it is just a stupid banality stating the obvious, or Douglas
Adams is right and “It is a rare mind indeed that can render the
hitherto non-existent blindingly obvious.” The book describes how the
modern rejection of the class-based stratification of society, which
seemed like a so good idea at the time, lead to meritocracy and status
anxiety. In the society based on the tradition and class-based status,
people on the bottom did not have to feel dishonored about their lot in
the life, because it was just something given to them by God, destiny,
etc. In the modernist society where the stratification is seemingly
based only on the merit, and success (mostly measured by the personal
income), suddenly people in the bottom are pressed to feel that it is
just their fault, thus the anxiety.

There were times in the history of humankind when the idea of class,
status, and honor was complete foundation of all thinking. Dan Carlin in
“`Death Throes of the Republic`_” for example claims that the concern
for personal status was something which lead to the fall of the Roman
Republic (to some extent at least). Suddenly we don't talk about these
things at all, and the only measure of personal status is the current
income. I don’t think however that not-talking about status, makes the
anxiety go away.

.. _`Status Anxiety`:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Status_Anxiety

.. _`Few quick thoughts on Brexit`:
    https://medium.com/@Chris_arnade/few-quick-thoughts-on-brexit-890b8b2a5ef1

.. _`Death Throes of the Republic`:
    http://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-death-throes-of-the-republic-series/