20VC Alain De Botton on Why Companies Are Not Families | Why Status is Making You Miserable | Why Parents Want Their Kids to Fail | Why We Are Richer Yet More Anxious Than Ever & Why You Should Not Always "Be Yourself"

Alain De Botton is one of the greatest philosophers of our time. His work has had a profound impact on me more than any other. I have wanted to do this episode for the last 8 years. In Today’s Episode with Alain De Botton We Discuss: 1. Why Status is Making You Miserable: •

Why are we richer yet more anxious than ever? • •

What is the right way to define status? Why do we want it so much? • •

Is it bad to want status? What are some non-obvious signs that you are seeking status when you do not realise it? • •

Does social media enhance the desire for status? How so? • •

Do the happiest people want status the least? What are Alain’s biggest observations in how truly happy people think about status? • 2. Why Parents Want You To Fail: •

Why is the sign of good parenting when your child does not want to be famous? • •

Why do your parents sometimes want you to fail? • •

What should parents do if their child wants to chase an unachievable goal? • •

Why should parents encourage their children to start very early? • 3. Why Meritocracy is a Fallacy & Meaningful Work: •

Why does Alain believe a true meritocracy is an impossible dream? • •

Why is meritocracy a bad thing when taken to the extreme? • •

Why does Alain believe that companies are not families? • •

Why does Alain tell people that they should not bring their full selves to work? • 4. WTF is “Meaningful Work”: •

What does it mean to do “meaningful work”? • •

Why do humans need to do “meaningful work” today in a way that we did not many years ago? • •

What are Alain’s biggest pieces of advice to young people today, unsure of what they should do with their lives and careers? • •

Why does Alain believe the idea of a “calling” is BS? • 5. Ambition, Achievement and Sacrifice: •

What does Alain mean when he says “you have to tolerate your own averageness”? • •

What does Alain say to the young generation who want work/life balance? • •

What does Alain mean when he said you “cannot be at war with yourself”? • •

Does Alain agree that to achieve you must sacrifice? •