I love status

Author: Alain de Botton
Publisher: Xianjue Press
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: ◎ A bestseller in the UK and US. ◎ This is de Botton's most rich, engaging, and sincere work to date. — Seattle Times ◎ This book is full of wit and wisdom, prompting us to reflect on our lives and how we can change our circumstances to live happier. — The Times Every adult's life can be said to be driven by two loves. One love — the pursuit of romantic love — has long been widely known and recorded. The second love — the pursuit of status and position — is more private and the process is filled with humiliation. Yet, the intensity of the second love is no less than one.
Across time and cultures, status and position are so alluring that people compete to chase them. Behind this relentless pursuit lies a "status anxiety" that few can admit to openly: the concern about how others perceive them, and whether they are seen as successful or failures in the eyes of others. Relying on the powerful, engaging in opportunistic behavior, and excessive consumption for the sake of appearances are typical symptoms, causing people to toss and turn at night. With his signature eloquence, Alain de Botton draws on the perspectives and actions of thinkers, artists, and writers to guide us through the layers of status anxiety. Moreover, to help us alleviate our anxieties, de Botton offers a series of quirky remedies: imitate the ancient Greek philosophers and Bohemian culture, or take a look at satirical cartoons, even admire the stones of ruins or place skulls on shelves. Open this book and listen to de Botton's witty and insightful analysis and advice, so that we may free ourselves from the pursuit of status and enjoy the sweetness and tranquility of life.
Author Bio: Alain de Botton (1969–) is a globally celebrated English polymath. Born in Zurich, Switzerland, he was educated in both Switzerland and the UK. Fluent in French, German, and English, he currently resides in London. With his exceptional talent, de Botton writes with both wit and intelligence, always striving for variety in his subjects. His works include novels such as My Affair with a Young Man, On Love, and Kiss and Tell, as well as non-fiction titles like The Consolations of Philosophy, The Art of Travel, and The Architecture of Happiness. Among these, On Love was shortlisted for the French Femina Prize. He is not only a sensation in the UK but also sought after by publishers worldwide, with translations available in over twenty languages.