Is the U.S. becoming a status society?

Now… admittedly, that’s only my initial reaction, and on reflection I have to admit it’s not obvious. But let’s get this straight: contrary to what the body of the post implies, attendance at Ivy League schools is not the only sort of status in the world. There’s also money, legitimate political power, power within organized crime, fame, having the best clothes, being the best judge of other people’s fashion sense, having a respectable job, having a reputation for all-around respectability… do I need to go on? The U.S. has always been a status society and always will be, just like every other society on Earth. Maybe the old marks of status (like European aristocracy) have faded, maybe there are more types of status than there used to be. Next…