We are deeply driven to climb social hierarchies, yet this motivation is largely hidden from us. We often don't realize the extent to which this dynamic influences our actions.
An extensive look at this dynamic is presented in Elephant in the Brain.
If we would believe we are a lot more motivated by climbing social hierarchies it would be harder for us to be effective at this task e.g. when we are helping somebody, going to school to acquire prestige
In primatology, when we talk about primates, almost everything is viewed through a perspective of a hierarchy in the group. In social sciences, when we talk about humans, hierarchy is rarely ever mentioned🏅🏅🏅 ~ Frans de Wall