"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"

In this quote, Alain de Botton is going over the idea of status anxiety and how it manifests at a political level. He recommends that numerous Iraqis were distressed with the United States not since of any particular actions or policies, but since of a viewed lack of respect and humiliation. This highlights the importance of status and how it can impact relationships and interactions between nations. It also speaks with the power dynamics at play in global politics and the role that status plays in forming perceptions and mindsets. Overall, de Botton's words shed light on the complex and often neglected role of status in political relationships.