People pursue status for many reasons, whether it’s a C-suite office, a $100,000 car, a house in a desirable neighborhood, or a conventionally attractive spouse. Sure, money and luxury items can bring us joy. But often, people buy expensive things or get caught up in grind culture just to impress others, and what they acquire leaves them feeling empty.

Keeping up appearances also costs a lot of money. While some people wince every month when they have to make a $1,500 car payment, others are happy with their old, paid-off car and invest the $1,500 instead of spending it on a depreciating asset. 

If keeping up appearances takes so much work and resources, why do we do it? A 2026 review of over 955 studies found overwhelmingly that people chase status symbols because they care about how they are perceived, and that what we have, the roles we play, and how we behave signal our taste, prestige, and where we belong. 

A Threads user named Itsamayawithwifi recently asked people over 40: “What’s a ‘status symbol’ you chased in your 20s and 30s that lost all meaning in your 40s?” The answers confirmed that, for many, the status symbols they once appreciated and chased have indeed become meaningless later in life. The discussion is a great way to consider whether pursuing status is really worth the time and effort.

10 status symbols that people over 40 have stopped chasing

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