Ultimately, you get to decide, because “people like us” is framed around you.
But not really you.
Not the you that you are.
Rather, it is framed around the you that you want to be.
And maybe not even that. Maybe it’s the you that the you that you want to be wants to be.
But regardless, “people like us” is framed around a desired form of you.
Even if you already belong to that group, you know it would only be a matter of time until you no longer belong, if not for one thing:
You know that in order to be part of that group of “people like us,” you need to do what they do.
Because “people like us” do things like this. That’s how we know them when we see them.
If you want to be like us, you’ll need to do these things. Only then can you belong, and enjoy the status that comes with belonging.
And “people like us” certainly enjoy our status. That’s why you wanted to belong with us, wasn’t it?
(All credit for “People like us do things like this” goes to Seth Godin, along with my heartfelt gratitude for showing me how the world really works.)
[Entry #1 in the Status is the True Currency blog series.]
