status

To behave or do something in a way contrary to that which is generally accepted or expected. I love this filmmaker, his movies really challenge the status quo! It can be risky, but challenging the status quo can be a great way to get ahead in business.

the situation as it is at present, without any changes The army, having maintained the status quo for so long, is embarking on a series of reforms.

The existing condition or state of affairs, as in We don't want to admit more singers to the chorus; we like the status quo. This term, Latin for "state in which," has been used in English since the early 1800s.

A position or activity that allows one's social prestige to be displayed, as in She doesn't even drive; that car of hers is purely a status symbol. [Mid-1900s]

Someone who aspires to a higher socioeconomic level. Upward mobility have always been an aspect of American society, but it took sociologist Vance Packard's 1959 book The Status Seekers to give a name to people who strove to impress by acquiring and flaunting fashionable and expensive items and social cachet. Status seekers—the derogatory epithet quickly gained popularity—not only tried to keep up with the Jones, they wanted to leave the Jones behind.