Alain de Botton

Writer and philosopher

‘I used my blackboard at a lecture in Borders Oxford Bookshop on 9th February 2005 to help to explain the structure of my latest book, entitled Status Anxiety. Part 1 of the book concerns the causes of status anxiety. These include the contrast between the unconditional love that babies receive and the conditions attached to love in the adult world; the snobbery of others, the high expectations we have of our lives and the so-called meritocratic system we live under. Part II of the book and blackboard looks at possible solutions to the problem of status anxiety - and includes the philosophies of Jesus and Socrates, the role of art, the thought of death (and the perspective this offers) and the invitation to reconsider our view of success. The audience was very polite and pretended to understand what I was trying to say even if they had no clue.’