Even better, de-emphasize status. Status concerns are practically embedded in the "elite" professions (finance, law, consulting), but in technology people spend a lot less time worrying about that. And that's healthy.
Also, plenty of psychological research has shown that status is usually valued more than money in one's job, where status encompasses things like "my boss tells me I'm doing a good job" (which means more coming from your boss or the VP than the intern) or "my team appreciates the work I do".
> but in technology people spend
> a lot less time worrying about
> that
- Big-name employer (Google, Facebook, etc)
- Inflated job titles (CxO or VP at a 2 person firm)
- Going into management when they don't enjoy it
- "Meritocracy"
- Arguing in architecture or planning meetings
- Using the latest and coolest technology
- Speaking at every opportunity at events
It's possible to do all and any of those -- and to any degree -- without status seeking. But many people do those for the status.
EDIT: Personally I spent a fair amount of time and money on a mid-career Ivy League MSc I didn't need, almost entirely for the signalling effect.
That has not been my experience. I'd say people in technology are just as political and status obsessed as anyone else. I think people in general don't want equality as much as they want dominance. They want to have it better than the other guy and high status helps achieve that.
You're not wrong that many in tech don't worry about status or power or politics, whatever you choose to call the great messy interplay of self-interested humans nominally assembled toward a common goal. Those who don't are vulnerable to exploitation by those who do, and frequently find themselves hosed in extremely consequential ways as a result. Is that healthy?