Jay Strellson

The Ultimate Status Flex: Countersignaling Very successful people can often engage in counter-signaling, or doing things that look low status but don’t hurt their status the way they would for most others. Here’s an example from the advertising executive Rory Sutherland. If you work at Pizza Hut and ride a bike to work, it’s probably because you can’t afford a car. It’s a necessity. But if you’re a top executive and ride a bike to work, it’s a high-status activity because it’s a choice. In the simplified model, low status is riding a bike to work. Medium status is driving an expensive car to work. High status is riding a bike to work. You can see this with restaurant menus too. Cheap fast food restaurant menu: “Hamburger” Mid-tier chain restaurant: “Wood-fired sizzled USDA grade beef on our house made sesame bun” Upscale chic restaurant: “Hamburger” Counter-signaling, whether it’s the CEO on a bicycle or the upscale restaurant with a minimalist menu, is an expression of confidence. Of feeling secure in one’s position. A study found that PhD students at lower-ranked universities used more complex language in their dissertation titles. Students at higher-ranked universities used simpler language. It’s as if they’re saying they have little need to impress you with a sophisticated title. They already study at an elite program and have nothing to prove. At some universities, they reserve parking spots for Nobel Prize winners. You’re more likely to see a basic sedan or a 15-year-old beater parked there than a luxury car. “I won a Nobel prize, I don’t need to impress anyone with how expensive my car is. I’m too busy advancing the limits of our knowledge.”