[aynsof]

Some of the specific ideas for demonstrating high status included not moving your head when speaking, speaking and moving slowly, beginning statements with a long 'uhhhh' (a short 'uh' sound, however, demonstrated low status), and taking up space.

I'd recommend moving it to the top of your reading list; it's one of those incredible books that i get something new out of every time I read it. It goes deep into human interaction, learning and education, consciousness - so much of what it means to be human.

[theparanoid]

If you go from low to high most of it comes naturally. It's obliquely alluded to in pg's "You Weren't Meant to Have a Boss"[0].

[0] http://www.paulgraham.com/boss.html

[zeroer]

Wow, that's a good essay. pg wanted to be a philosopher earlier in his life. He would have been good at it, but unfortunately I think the field is beneath him.

[lgieron]

> Some of the specific ideas for demonstrating high status included not moving your head when speaking, speaking and moving slowly, beginning statements with a long 'uhhhh' (a short 'uh' sound, however, demonstrated low status), and taking up space.

I hope this knowledge (regardless of whether it's true) does not spread - I'm sure there would be plenty of people who will try to "hack the system" and will act according to this list, which would be insufferable.

[tomhoward]

That happened at least 10 years ago with the publication of The Game [1] and the emergence of the pickup community [2].

And if you want to know how insufferable it's been, just ask any woman who's been in the dating scene in the past 10 years how they feel about 'negging'.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Game:_Penetrating_the_Secr...

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seduction_community

[551199]

I'm more of a relationship kind a guy, but let me tell you if you workout women are no saints either. Women 'negg' as well and use very brash language of your body parts and what they would do with you.

[razakel]

>That happened at least 10 years ago with the publication of The Game

Despite what you may feel about pickup artists, The Game is genuinely worth a read.

The trick is not to read it as a "how to meet girls" manual.

What's most interesting about it is the behaviour of them belies their own insecurity and an uncomfortableness around women. The book itself alludes to this.

[analyst74]

Wouldn't it be better if those hacking techniques are more commonly known, making it harder to measure a stranger's social status, so we treat everyone equally?

This will not solve the root problem of the existence of social ladder, but I don't see how spreading this knowledge can cause harm.