Instead of being born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I found myself with a knife in my back after my parents' messy divorce, which was followed by my constant shuttling from one to the other. The only status I hoped to achieve was the status quo.
The only status anxiety I ever suffered from was financial insecurity. I worked hard to cure me of it, and I achieved it, perhaps sooner than most, because I bought things for their utility, never for their status.
I still remember with great fondness - and even greater regret that I ever left - my first real "home" I bought at 3 Bay Street, Pallarenda in Townsville. It cost me thirty thousand dollars which was even in 1981 a very low price for what was undoubtedly the most modest house in the street, but to me it was the most comfortable home I had ever known.
There was only one time when I did not buy something for its utility, and that was in 1984 when, in a mad rush of blood to the head (and possibly to impress the company I was keeping then), I outlaid some $2,500 - which was then close to two months' average wages in Australia - for a ROLEX Oyster Perpetual which I never wear when I drive into town now.
When I do drive into town - which is no more than once a week when it coincides with our visit to the warm-water pool - I drive in my modest $18,000-drive-away MG3 and I shop for books at Vinnies and the Salvos, where some time ago I found Alain de Botton's book "Status Anxiety".
The book didn't teach me anything that I did't already know from watching many of my neighbours, but it was reassuring to have my view of the world confirmed. The author himself suffers no status anxiety as he has a personal net worth of £20 million to £30 million, earned from his philosophy and lifestyle books, all of which became international bestsellers and have been translated into over thirty languages.
Unfortunately, there is no free online copy of "Status Anxiety" on the internet, but I can assure you that buying yourself a copy of the book on ebay for a modest $20 will give you many hours of reading pleasure - although it won't necessarily add to your status, except in my eyes.
