Move UP: Why Some Cultures Advance While Others Don't by Clotaire Rapaille & Andrés Roemer

Author:Clotaire Rapaille & Andrés Roemer [Rapaille, Clotaire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241187005
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2015-04-30T00:00:00+00:00

Security Index

11 Success

SUCCESS

MOVING DOWN MOVING UP

Closed to change Open to change

Success is acquired through nepotism and inheritance Success is acquired through hard work and talent

There is life after death Life is here and now

You stay within your comfort zone You leave your comfort zone

Karma is a force which controls your life The only force in your life is your brain

Culture of apathy Culture of curious minds

Preference for comfort Preference for taking risks

Ambition is a negative quality Ambition is a positive quality

Dreams stay in your head Dreams turn into actions

The bare minimum is satisfactory People go beyond their basic responsibilities

The relationship between citizens and government is too distant The relationship between citizens and government is close

The education system is rigid and does not promote creativity The education system is dynamic and encourages creativity

Poor investment in the science and technology industries. High levels of investment in the science and technology industries.

No entrepreneurial culture Entrepreneurial culture

Piracy is common Property rights are respected

Caste hierarchies divide society and social progress is impossible The society has no caste hierarchies and everyone is free to move

Beliefs make people think they have to suffer in order to succeed You only have to work hard in order to succeed

Political connections are what you need most in order to succeed Talent is what you need most in order to succeed

Fundamentalist values Open-minded rules

Success is corrupt Success is admirable

Being rich is a sin Being rich means you did things right

You are rewarded for following the rules and staying inside the box You are rewarded for being inventive and having original ideas

Risk is scary Risk is good

It’s about what you have It’s about what you are/know

Destiny is responsible Freedom is responsible

God dictates everything Freedom of opportunity dictates everything

Poor countries blame their problems on others Poor countries recognize internal corruption is to blame

Human beings are obsessed with moving up, growing up, standing up, living up, up, up. We worry about our status, we yearn to be accepted into the top universities, we want to climb our career ladder as quickly as possible, and we strive for the best possible social position. We measure success by our capacity to move upward. Why the hell are we so interested in succeeding? Because humans evolved in small social groups in which superiority was always important. Not only for survival, but also in order to impress friends (and enemies), attract mates, intimidate sexual rivals and look after children. Our social-primate brains evolved to pursue a central goal: to look powerful in front of others.

We want to ascend because subconsciously we all feel that being on top gives us more chance of survival and reproduction. As Robert H. Frank said, ‘We come to the world equipped with a nervous system that is worried about status. Our reptilian instincts are constantly asking: Where am I? How appreciated am I? What’s my worth compared with everyone else?’1

The night Megan met Bradley, she was stunned by his perfection: a well-built, handsome, tanned rugby player who had just won his game against the arrogant French.

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