16 August

When I say people never leave high school, I mean that the social models we learn there are what shape all adult life as well. At least now. And that model is the constant battle for status. Which is really the battle to belong, in groups. To feel noticed, and wanted. And thus to have a recognised identity. All of life, literally all of it, can be explained by this model. For example I post a lot about EVs. I’m not obsessed with them, I target them for social reasons. Cars (and motorbikes) have always been the way many define their identity, particularly those who never had a good relationship with knowledge or schools. (Remember in Grease, how the ‘bad’ kids were the kids who built hot-rods.) So I talk about EVs, because it’s that group in society who are now our greatest obstruction to important change. The group social media and politicians have mobilised, to obstruct change. To them, EVs represent an existential threat to their group, and therefore their identity. Here’s a story from Cook’s voyages showing the same mechanism. Sailors of that time often died of scurvy (lack of vitamin C). But it was hard to carry enough fresh food as a source of vitamin C. Sauerkraut, pickled cabbage, keeps for ages and is a good source. Cook ordered tonnes of it. But his men didn’t want sauerkraut. Eating any sort of vegetables was rare then. So what did Cook do? He ordered it only be served to himself and his senior officers. The other men then saw this as a high-status meal. And demanded it for themselves.