Conventions are not just floating molecules that make up culture but also wield remarkable powers over humans in three key ways: (1) they regulate our behavior; (2) they become internalized as habits; and (3) they change our perception of the world. And from whence do conventions draw their power? Status. We ultimately follow conventions to gain social approval and avoid social disapproval, and in doing so, they change our behaviors and organize the data we gather from our senses.
