“Status anxiety definitely exists at a political level. Many Iraqis were annoyed with the US essentially for reasons of status: for not showing them respect, for humiliating them.”

Swiss philosopher and writer of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, de Botton blends psychology, philosophy, and pop culture to explore human behavior and relationships. His work—including *The Consolations of Philosophy* and *Status Anxiety*—examines how we navigate love, art, and social expectations with wit and clarity.