If you guys are right, and men don’t seek status from women, the culture is going to be transformed more radically than anything else imo.
A man typically spends a majority of his waking hours either at work, or commuting to/from work. Oh, yes: And then there are the weekends, sitting on the couch, drinking beer, and watching football on t.v. (maybe with his football-watching buddies). If he's more adventurous, maybe he goes, e.g., skydiving with his buddies.
In which of those venues does having a wife confer "status?"
It may have once done so - just like having a "Freiherr von" in front of your name and bearing a conspicuous fencing scar might still confer a certain social status in particular groups even today.
Wearing the "right" fraternity pin, having a "posh" accent, making a casual allusion to having climbed Mt. Everest... they all will confer status in certain very specific situations. (They might also get you laughed at in certain other situations.)
In the 1950s, in the Mid-West U.S., being the only 45-year-old bachelor in your social club might have created a few rumors about your sexuality. (in a best-case scenario, your friends' wives would be pestering you about their maiden aunts still being "available.") Not having served in the armed forces would add to those rumors. Failing to have a perfectly-manicured lawn would have been a cause célèbre".
Another question is: What do I care if some of my neighbors sniff and turn up their noses because I'm unmarried, or hoist an American flag on my property, or have a certain bumper sticker on my car, or where white after Labor Day? What material impact on my life does it have (esp. since many people's social lives play out primarily online nowadays)?
Regards,
The only women who give “status” to men, are women who make the effort to keep themselves attractive, and make an effort to keep their men happy.
Being seen as married to a fat harpy gives a man negative status among his peers.
In what ways is status conferred?