Human Peacocking's definitions

Eulogy Bragging

Making a very public eulogy for a famous person in order to highlight your proximity, relationship, or familiarity to them upon their death (often to get attention for yourself).

When that famous painter Jack died, all his kids friends were eulogy bragging on facebook about how influential he was to them and tagging his son so that everyone knows they knew him personally!

by Human Peacocking February 25, 2024

Autism Bragging

Conspicuously highlighting 'neurodivergency' or autism or 'being on the spectrum' to an audience for personal gain.

Often used by those who are high in status and want to contrast their success with some form of hardship in order to get more credit or acclaim, or to appear as some sort of savant not affected by crass social movements, social contagion, or faddish popular opinions

There is Bob autism bragging again to investors to try to get more money for his hedge fund.

by Human Peacocking February 25, 2024

Davos Effect

The Davos effect refers to when two high status people walk towards each other with no idea who is higher or should get out of the other's way.

It happens in environments where there are very high status people but with no hierarchical context or idea of who the others are.

The term was coined for the World Economic Forum (WEF), held in Davos. Because high status attendees are not allowed to bring an entourage, no one knows who is higher in status and they habitually walk into each other because everyone refuses to give way.

Those two CEOs just showed the Davos Effect, they walked directly into each other, neither knew who should get out of the other's way!

by Human Peacocking January 23, 2024

Pedigree Mimic

A person who pretends to have credentials or background experience or a pedigree that they don't actually have. For example, they did a month course at Harvard and put 'Harvard graduate' on their profiles. Technically this is true, but the audience assumes a broader pedigree than the person actually has.

Tom's resume was selected because he's was pedigree mimicing and included that week harvard class in his resume.

by Human Peacocking July 7, 2023

First Rule of Peacocking

The first rule of peacocking is : don't tell the audience what it already knows.

This 'rule' refers to a maxim in social science literature that a person/thing trying to show status should not be repetitive / redundant and give the audience what they already know would happen.

John just violated the First Rule of Peacocking when giving his acceptance speech! he acted like no one knew why they were all there when he told them again about his achievements.

by Human Peacocking June 11, 2023

Trauma Brag

To brag, highlight, or bring attention to hardship that one has experienced. Examples include highlighting one's experience of poverty, illness, abuse, or adversity

These types of brags get attention for higher status signalers and dismissal for low status ones

There's the head of that bank trauma bragging about his illness in order to get more clout in the newspaper headlines

by Human Peacocking June 10, 2023

Virtue brag

Bragging that one voluntarily exercises self restraint in the face of temptation, or takes less than one can out of moral purity or other lofty sensibilities

Tom is virtue bragging about how he paid more for his new yacht because it has more efficient fuel use and doesn't pollute the environment as much.

by Human Peacocking June 6, 2023