"Smart and successful people don't express their true opinion because they fear a loss of status"
The author explains, that the more status people gained in their life, the more they try to stick to the common sense of opinions people of their status hold. This behavior really stabilizes the status quo.
For me this also explains why the consequent climate change protests are mainly supported by young people. They presumably have acquired less status yet and therefor don't feel the fear of status loss if they express a new opinion.
You are assuming it is a conscious decision and that these high-status individuals are aware that what they express is false. But the point the author makes is that the falsehoods are their true opinion.
And most likely, you yourself will have opinions that aren't true and that you have only started to believe because of fear of status loss.
Would you have clicked on that title? Everyone says they hate clickbait (defined here as "titles people actually click"), but it's about the only way to get anyone to look at anything unless they're already familiar with your work, regardless of the merits.
It strikes me oddly that you describe climate change protest as a "new opinion". From my gen-x view of the world, it has been a big deal through my entire adult life - we're up to COP 28 now, after all!
I agree with you, that phrase is misleading. What I tried to express is: The sense of urgency to act upon the climate catastrophe even if it decreases your own quality of life in the short term is somehow “new” or at least only really felt and pointed out strongly by a minority.
"Smart and successful people don't express their true opinion because they fear a loss of status"
The author explains, that the more status people gained in their life, the more they try to stick to the common sense of opinions people of their status hold. This behavior really stabilizes the status quo.
For me this also explains why the consequent climate change protests are mainly supported by young people. They presumably have acquired less status yet and therefor don't feel the fear of status loss if they express a new opinion.