Great Game Of High School: The Four Social Hierarchy Rules

The 4 social hierarchy rules I will discuss in the “Great Game of High School” include rules 2,3, 4 and 6. Specific to Rule 2 which states that “IF YOU WANT TO SCORE, YOU HAVE TO PLAY”. My interpretation of this rule is that the challenges that come with surviving in this environment can be seen as a microcosm of the broader society; that is, you learn by adapting to different situations. This rule further states that “The game is really a mating ritual and controls your social life. If you opt out (or get pushed out), you are no longer part of the school’s social structure.” This rule shows me that the school environment is a necessary place that teaches students that the school system has its own culture, and survival in this culture depends on the individual’s ability to adapt and function according to the norms of the school system. This

This rule further states that “The way to get more and more status within your group is to be the most popular prep among the preps, the most powerful hick among the hicks, the freak the other freaks admire, and so on.”. This rule confirms what I concluded in rule 2; that is, the school environment is likened to an ecosystem in which dominance, personal attention, and power becomes the blueprint for survival, and thus this game, rather than having an end date, gets much tougher year by year. In shifting my focus from the school system to my current organization, I would submit that in order to be successful, I must align myself with those who have decision making power by embracing the mission and vision of the agency and having a willingness to take on new tasks. I also believe that a professional group at my workplace that fits into the Senge et. al. model is our community staff who wants to prove that he/she can function amongst and contribute as much as to the agency, even though they do not function in an administrative