There’s this one particular Instagram guru Adam Karcz teaching you how to show off status on Instagram.
While there’s some concepts I think he understands on a higher-level than most people (e.g., being less try-hard with your photos and making things subtle rather than overt with showing too many girls in a preselection photo), there are some things I disagree with. And there’s one thing I want to hone in on.
You’ll notice most of his videos are basically implying and showing a lot of content that displays wealth: cigars, luxury cars, yachts, boats. If it’s not wealth, it’s attractive women that are subtly in the shot. Therefore, the clear assumption is that status is defined as owning expensive toys and/or women.
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But this is not a full understanding of status from an evolutionary perspective. It is a overly simplistic understanding of status that most men and other gurus fall for. Status defined by access to VIP areas in clubs or showing off expensive possessions like Rolls Royces or yachts reflects certain surface-level or “artificial” examples of status, but they do not capture the full, real meaning of status from a deeper or evolutionary perspective.
It’s not just him but in other courses I’ve taken (check out Corey Chaloff’s Personal Brand Creator Pro), he mentions buying and wearing expensive designer hypebeast clothing like Offwhite as the main (only?) way to easily join the high status club.
Owning and displaying luxury items (cars, yachts) is what sociologists call “conspicuous consumption”, that is to say showing wealth to gain social recognition. But research shows publicly showing off wealth may sometimes backfire because it signals self-interest and can reduce perceptions of being cooperative or trustworthy.
Can you guess what real status is? Pause reading and write a comment with your guess.
Some men would immediately go to the next idea which is having access to scarce resources, like specifically a VIP table at a club. This is something some fellow new classmates in another program I’m apart of Men of Action might think.
Many men may then turn to his is a kind of social signaling that shows you are recognized within a small, exclusive social environment. It is temporary and context-specific — many men may never go to clubs, so this status doesn’t translate broadly outside that scene. It’s more like an artificial or situational form of status.
Real status comes from being genuinely valued, respected, and recognized in ways that matter broadly in social groups beyond artificial settings.
Skills and Competence: Being seen as very skilled or talented in things people respect (e.g., business leaders, athletes, artists, great public speakers).
Leadership and Influence: Holding positions where others look up to you for guidance, decisions, or inspiration—like managers, community leaders, or organizers.
Social Connections: Being well connected with other high-status individuals or networks that people want to be part of.
Personal Presence and Charisma: How you carry yourself, your confidence, and how others perceive your personality.
Cultural and Educational Capital: Having knowledge, education, manners, or cultural tastes that gain admiration in society.
Consistent Reputation: Being known over time for trustworthiness, generosity, or inspiring achievement.
Wealth is often private: how much money you have may be known only to you or close people.
Status is social and public — it’s how others perceive and respect you.
Simply owning expensive stuff can suggest wealth but does not always grant status if it does not come with respect, competence, or good social standing. Many men don’t understand this, and they’re going to follow the idea of purely chasing wealthy possessions and clothing or access to VIP areas. While this may still get to them their other goals (likely attraction with women or networking with high status men), it won’t be as effective, efficient, or easy as if they really understood status. Their understanding of the concept is lacking.
Imagine your school has different groups. There’s the popular kids who everyone wants to hang out with, the smart kids everyone asks for homework help, and the tough kids who can get their way. Status is like being one of those “important” kids that other people look up to and want to be around.
Status isn’t just about being famous or rich. It’s about how much other people respect you, want to be around you, and see you as someone who can help them or protect them. Think of it like being the kid in class who everyone wants on their team for group projects.
There’s various podcasters like Joe Rogan or Chris Williamson who rarely or never show off expensive possessions or clothing in any of the content they put out (usually podcast interviews), yet they claim a lot of status because they are hitting on these other concepts of admiration, respect, looked up to, being well connected, how they carry themselves, and being known for a competence. There’s micro-versions of these men in your local community who aren’t famous or rich yet they have adopted these principles unconsciously and are reaping the awards. You don’t have to famous to do well here. Most men are completely blind to this holistic definition because they’re following the simplistic definition of status by Adam or others.
For more details, I recommend the book Mate by Tucker Max and Geoff Miller which goes into more details about the evolutionary biology (affiliate link).
To continue the school example, there are two different ways people become high-status:
1. Dominance (The “Tough Guy” Route)
This is like being the strongest kid who gets his way through being intimidating or aggressive. Dominant people:
- Use force, intimidation, or fear to get what they want
- Act like the “alpha” who pushes others around
- Get status through being tougher or more aggressive than others
- Are like the school bully who gets respect through fear
2. Prestige (The “Cool Expert” Route)
This is like being the kid everyone wants to learn from because you’re really good at something. Prestigious people:
- Have skills, knowledge, or talents that others admire
- Get status because people freely choose to respect them
- Are like the star athlete or the genius who helps everyone with math
- Share their knowledge and help others succeed
Here’s the key difference: Dominance gets you status through fear, while prestige gets you status through admiration. The non-fear one is better.
Think of these like different flavors of ice cream – they’re related but different:
Status = Your overall “ranking” in the social group (how important people think you are)
Fame = How many people know who you are (like a celebrity)
Prestige = How much people respect and admire you for your skills or character
You can have high status in your local gym without being famous. You can be famous but not prestigious (like a reality TV star). The best combination is having both prestige and status.
Contents
What This Means for Attracting Women (The Science Part)
Research by evolutionary psychologists shows that women are naturally attracted to men with higher status because throughout human history, high-status men were better able to protect and provide for families. It’s like an unconscious program in their brains that says “this guy seems successful and could take care of me and my kids.”
Women pay attention to status because:
High-status men have more resources and connections
They’re seen as leaders who can handle problems
Other people respect and follow them
They seem more capable of providing security
How to Build Status (The Practical Stuff)
So then, how do you build and display status? There’s thousands of men I see on Instagram playing the “show off the wealth, women, and VIP access” game on Instagram. Better than the average guy, but is that the best path?
Achieve Local Celebrity Level Status
Yes, being “the guy everyone knows” at your local spots absolutely works. This means:
Being friends with staff at places you go (bartenders, DJs, gym trainers)
Having people wave and say hi to you when you walk in
Being known as someone who brings good energy and connections
Getting special treatment (better tables, backstage access, etc.)
Building Prestige-Based Status (The Better Way)
Research shows this is more sustainable and attractive long-term:
Develop real skills people value – fitness, music, business, cooking, whatever you’re good at
Help and teach others – share your knowledge generously
Be the connector – introduce people to each other, organize events
Lead groups – start a hiking group, organize game nights, lead projects
Have social intuition – be comfortable and natural in social situations
Building Social Proof
Men of Action is a program that taught me how to build connections and familiarity with the local hot venues, staff, and get more VIP access. And then, display that on social media. This is about showing that other people already see you as valuable:
Photos with attractive women (shows other women find you appealing)
Group leadership roles (shows people trust your judgment)
Professional success (shows competence and ambition)
Physical fitness (shows discipline and health)
Style and grooming (shows you take care of yourself)
When women see that:
Staff treat you specially
You get VIP access
People come up to shake your hand
You seem comfortable and “at home” everywhere
It signals that you’re socially connected and valuable. This is social proof in action, other people’s positive reactions to you prove to women that you’re worth their attention.
Key Takeaways (The Important Stuff)
Use this takeaways, and you’re going to do better and have a much more holistic, detailed understanding of what status is and how to build it than the typical men on Instagram who have invested thousands of dollars in programs and services and simply spam content showing off expensive possessions and exotic VIP areas. That can work. There’s gurus like Adam and Paul Ribot teaching this to many men successfully and their students seem happy. I’ve dabbled in some of that style on Instagram too, but it’s such a narrow one-dimensional blatant method of displaying status (really wealth) that it can attract gold diggers, not the type of women you want.
Status is about how others see your value, not just money or fame
Prestige (being respected) is better long-term than dominance (being feared)
Women are unconsciously attracted to status because it signals you can provide security
Local celebrity status absolutely works – being well-connected in your social circles
You build status by developing skills, leading others, and being socially connected
Social proof (showing others value you) is incredibly powerful
The bottom line: Status isn’t about being rich or famous. It’s about being someone that others respect, want to be around, and see as capable of leading and providing value. Whether that’s being the guy who knows everyone at the local spots or being genuinely skilled at something people admire, both work – but building real prestige through competence and helping others is the most sustainable path.
