Proof of Work
August 26th, 2025
Humans operate on status hierarchies. Acknowledged or unacknowledged, our minds do dominance calculations just walking a busy street.
But I'm not concerned about how humans calculate status against each other. My chief thought is how we calculate status within our physiological selves, and if we can hijack this quirk to all be better people.
That is, our bodies gift hormones based on our self-perceived success. When we win at a game (a game in the most abstract sense) our bodies self-regulate and reward us within closed systems.
Do we necessarily need to participate against external stimuli for the reward, or can we control our minds to reward testosterone constantly with a "winner's mindset"?
Societal Competition
The most straightforward way to pull status is to compete. All cultures have organized competition built into them, especially for men. It's a tale as old as time.
Dominance hierarchies here are clear, such as in sports or war. There are clear winners and losers, and the game is well-defined for better or worse.
I personally dislike dominance games and stray away. I hate the idea of a loser and that success must be a zero-sum game.
But time and time again, I meet people who excel in the arena. It's them who gets the fruit. And, their growth is exponential, because not only do they win, but they win publicly. The tribe gathers to invest more into this winner, and the growth becomes exponential.
With the talent to continually win in conventional feats of strength, there's no need to question anything.
You are a winner.
Personal Resistance
The other category of behavior that triggers reward mechanisms is personal resistance. Personal resistance rewards the mind itself in overcoming difficulties and challenges.
Studies have shown that overcoming a heavy weight, surviving a winter storm, or running long distances can mimic the "winner mindset".
From an evolutionary perspective, survival against environmental factors is justifiably rewarded and shows the body it's safe to grow.
Luckily, we're able to transfer this and achieve personal growth in all fields. Resisting the environment is a prime way of achieving "success."
It's our best bet against succumbing to dominance hierarchies.
Caveat
At the end of the day, all hardships and status annointments are defined by our culture and language. We all exist within the bounds of taught words, so our systems ultimately decide what our bodies reward.
I just want to conclude, pick the game and play it well. That's how you gain high status.