The Waves Of Status
Few things in our lives that remain the same and status symbols are not one of them.
“Everyone you meet always asks if you have a career, are married or own a house; as if life was some kind of grocery list. But nobody asks if you are happy.”
– Heath Ledger
Few things in our lives remain the same but there are two things that have always defined America:
A staple of the American dream is owning a home.
America is the land of opportunity, you can be anything you desire.
It has forever been this way. Our careers and home ownership status will forever be a measure of prestige. Both alert the world how far you have made it. It is why everyone you meet always asks what you do or where you live but never how happy you are. We want to see how much “status” someone may have. They are the pinnacle of status symbols. It is objective, not subjective.
But outside of our careers and home, you will find the rest of the status symbols come in waves.
In the beginning, you have big, 100-foot waves that seemed destined to never stop, to always be there. They are a sight to behold and crash over you with no end in sight. Just a few years ago, a monkey JPEG, a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT, was that 100-foot wave. An asset whose value only seemed to go up and had an insane price point. All you can do is hope to one day reach that level of status and buy that NFT. Until then, you find something to hold on to, something to symbolize to the world you are something. Something to help keep you afloat while you weather the waves. Maybe it's an NFT you buy, but maybe one that is not as valuable. You are just trying to stay in the game and keep your head above water.
But eventually, the wave loses steam. Those 100-foot waves are now 75-foot waves. The NFTs still hold their value, but the insane rise in prices and the increase in status come much farther apart. You see the momentum fading, and you can prepare for the next wave. In between these waves, chasing this status doesn’t feel as much like a never-ending chase. There is more normalcy and life. The price no longer only goes up. Everything doesn’t seem so unattainable.
The 75-foot waves eventually become 50-foot waves, then 25-foot waves, before the wave crashes along the shore leaving very little behind and washing away with the tide. What once seemed immortal is now no longer. The status of owning an NFT is gone. But there is still other status to chase and other waves to catch. It is a never-ending pursuit.
The waves of status come in all different shapes and sizes but they never stop coming.
Status was once having air-conditioning back in the 70s, owning a fur coat, and even owning a minivan. Heck, sometimes it was as simple as having a second fridge in your garage or braces on your teeth. Argyle sweaters, baggy basketball shorts, and long, denim skirts were signs of a high-status dress code. Those waves were smaller, less aggressive but we all used to feel them.
Eventually, we survive them, they crash into the shore and wash away with the tide as other waves gain momentum.
The waves of status today are walking around without a case on your phone, wearing clothing free of logos, or frequently traveling for pleasure. Air-conditioning is expected - in the States apologies, to my other folks - and fur coats now have a social stigma attached to them. Now we wear cozy turtlenecks, five-inch shorts, and short, denim skirts.
The waves leave an impression, and like any wave would, they transfer energy. The unrelenting waves are carried by everyone trying to catch it. Eventually, the increased demand helps to normalize these status symbols and temper these waves, slowly washing away their prestige.
Remote work used to be the monstrous wave that everyone tried to catch. It was a luxury. It was a high-status wave, that was until COVID-19 had other plans. The ability to work anywhere, at any time, used to be reserved for a select few. Now, it is the expectation for some. You could have spent your whole career chasing the freedom to work where you please, dying to catch the remote work wave only for it to crash along the shore much earlier than expected, taking your hopes and dreams with it. The wave that seemed to be unbreakable, broke and now, you are caught riding out a much smaller wave than you could have ever expected.
Chasing status is riding a wave. At a certain point, we could catch the wave and ride it, but we have no idea what we are riding or when it will end. There are the status symbol waves that seem to never die like owning a home or chasing a better career. But few others have remained this way. To chase a wave could mean to catch it, but only to catch it when it is sputtering out.
Maybe, the best wave to chase is the wave of what makes you happy. The wave that keeps you up at night because you are so pumped to be awake. The wave that gives you an infectious energy and tenacity that helps you to discover your big dreams and maximize your experiences. The status waves that make you happy on your own accord. Maybe we should ask ourselves more about those waves as Heath Ledger says. Perhaps we should chase the status wave of being the person who shows their whole selves to the world, no matter how broken, goofy, or weird they may be.
Just like a wave, status comes and goes. The world keeps evolving and the waves keep changing. I find I am happiest when I ride my own waves. The waves that pop me out of bed in the morning ready to suck all the marrow out of the day’s bone. The last thing I want to do is get caught crashing into the shore for something I never cared for.
As always, appreciate you spending time to read. Like if you enjoyed.
-Scantron
The more you chase status, the more constraints and constant expectations others put on you, or you do on yourself. The less happier you'll be, It's a losing game. Happiness is related to freedom, and naturally, the happier you'll be the less you'll fit in among others. Misery loves company.
If you truly found your call and achieved that freedom-happiness combo. Others will be less able to relate to you, and will be bothered by the reminder that they didn't do the same.
I really liked this one, I found it easy to understand, quick to read too