Praise poured in for this book
Special Edition Preface: The Only Power to Change Your Innate Class
Preface to the First Edition: Abitus Reveals Who You Are

Chapter 1: Habitus Determines Life, Opportunity, and Status

Being born into high status
Acknowledging the unfair reality
Not everything is decided by money.
Seven criteria for class division
You can escape your background
Where is the real 'top'?
Advanced Abitus that Makes Leaping Possible

Chapter 2: Psychological Capital: How We Think and How Far We Imagine

Don't stay in the same place all the time
The Importance of Resilience
Don't show your tension and don't complain
Ambition creates possibility
Generosity attracts dignity and wealth.
High goals are created in a safe environment.
The right character sustains success
Success must remain after death.
Interview: "Those who do what they love are most successful."

Chapter 3: Cultural Capital: What We Enjoy in Life

The most difficult capital to obtain
Status determines taste
Organic and bicycles instead of Prada and Chanel
French, piano, soccer vs. Greek, violin, golf
Formalism and rudeness
The world as home, the region as home
Technology that looks easygoing
Spread your wings and fly, but acknowledge your roots.
Interview: "Give Meaning to Your Life with Your Own Uniqueness"

Chapter 4: Knowledge Capital: What Can You Do?

The importance of a good education
A diploma is more important than you think
Until knowledge becomes power
What makes my heart beat
Broad interests broaden your horizons
Creativity is not a gift from God.
Access information that others don't know about
Expand your knowledge in all dimensions
Interview: "Even the second generation of chaebols must prove what they can do."

Chapter 5: Economic Capital: How Much Do You Have?

Everyone says 'it's not enough'
Anyway, if you don't have money, you're unhappy.
How you handle money determines your character.
Money gives you freedom, not luxury bags.
Think like a millionaire
The rich guy next door doesn't drive a luxury SUV.
Consumption to acquire the other six types of capital
Get support, but don't rely on it.
To leap forward, you must first become self-reliant.
Interview: "The Super Rich Don't Think or Act Like You"

Chapter 6: Physical Capital: How to Wear, Walk, and Manage It

Life is a game that favors those with outstanding looks.
Moderately loose or tight and neat
No need for show or status symbols
The virtue of natural wrinkles
A true boss enjoys marathons.
Treat your body as your most precious capital.
Interview: "As we age, well-maintained harmony becomes more important."

Chapter 7: Linguistic Capital: How to Speak

The language I use reveals my status.
What to say, how far to say it, and how to say it
Show, don't tell
Specifically, favorably, and solution-oriented
Clear content, polite voice
Small talk with the leader
Securing linguistic space
Increase the value of yourself and others at the same time
Interview: "Those at the top communicate without jealousy or impatience."

Chapter 8 Social Capital: Who You Hang Out With

Accept your natural origins
The people around you complete you.
The skill of naturally belonging to a group
gangs and collusion or alliances and communities
What's more important than the number of contacts
A hand pushing from behind, a mentor
If you want influence, stand out.
Power, Status, and Visibility: The Sphere of Influence
Build relationships to leap forward
Interview: "Without intention, with honesty, this is the magic spell to reach the top."

Concluding Remarks: Changing Habitus is Possible Anytime, Anywhere

Acknowledgments / Notes / References

“Why do I speak, enjoy, and think like this?”
The power of habitus is stronger than habit

Everyone has probably tried to change their habits after reading a book or watching a video about habits.
The list of habits we need to change is endless: quitting smoking, dieting, learning English, the way we speak, etc.
But most resolutions don't last long, and they don't seem to be rewarded for the effort, so we quickly become frustrated and give up.
They say that all you have to do is change your habits, but changing those habits isn't as easy as it sounds.
It is at this point that Doris Mertin, the author of this book, proposes a completely new solution.
That's Abitus.


Habitus is a concept first proposed by French philosopher Bourdieu, and refers to a second nature determined by the sociocultural environment.
In short, the class I belong to, the people I meet, the hobbies I enjoy, and all the tasks I accomplish create my habitus, so simply trying to change my habits will never achieve what I want.
The idea that you can live the life you truly want only by changing your habitus, a concept more fundamental than your habits.
Fortunately, according to the author, Abitus was not carved in stone.
If you know exactly where you need to go and put in the right effort, you can change your habitus.
This book, "Habitus," is a book that provides knowledge about the seven capitals (psychology, culture, knowledge, economy, body, language, and society) that are important in our lives, but ultimately, it tells us about the ultimate method to make ourselves a little better.
If we realize the true power of habitus, which is stronger than habit, and work to reconstruct the many things that make us who we are, we will live a more satisfying life in all areas of our lives.

“What leads us to the top is
“It is excellence that has become a habit.”

There is a person who has gained international recognition for over 20 years by consulting and lecturing to companies and individuals based on a deep understanding of language and literature.
This is Doris Mertin, the author of 『Abitus』.
He has been analyzing the intimate codes contained within human language to connect each person's attitude and personality to their potential and success.
Every book he published with his outstanding insight became a world-wide bestseller.
In particular, 『Abitus』 received even more enthusiastic attention from readers around the world by honestly revealing the uncomfortable truths of life that had been vaguely felt but never clearly spoken about anywhere.
It clearly distinguishes between the upper and lower classes, and realistically explains the value of a college diploma and the power of appearance.
The author's talent for presenting a sharp perspective on wealth and success without hesitation naturally forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths they might otherwise prefer not to acknowledge.

At the end of each chapter, interviews with various experts, including psychologists, sociologists, headhunters, and future researchers, reinforce the content explained above and summarize the seven capitals.
This will help you answer many of your questions and provide specific tips that you can apply in your real life.
The countless examples of people who have overcome adversity give us a sense of hope we never had before.
The combination of constantly motivating self-improvement messages and humanistic analysis using cases and concepts from philosophy and sociology provides a powerful force that challenges our preconceptions and inspires change "right now."
It's time to reconfigure all your resources and fly higher.

From fresh graduates to CEOs,
7 Weapons with All the Strategies You Need for Life

Habitus is determined by minor differences.
For example, a father's calm response when his daughter gets hurt is not a cold parenting style, but rather an upper-class habitus that fosters resilience in his daughter.
Through her father's calm demeanor, the daughter learns that 'all hardships are trivial and no situation has to be tragic.'
Instead of flaunting their class with shiny gold watches and flashy foreign cars, the attitude of displaying class through subtle cultural tastes also functions as the habitus of successful people.

In "That High Place," newcomers can only truly become members when they demonstrate a cautious attitude toward reading the code of the place, rather than trying too hard or trying to stand out, and when they create a natural glow through consistent care, rather than hiding their shabbiness behind plastic surgery or luxury handbags.
Things that can be had with money are merely temporary status symbols and can never be replaced by habitus.
However, the ability to choose quality items and the act of enjoying a high level of cultural life are high-class habitus that create class, and considering them as luxuries is nothing more than an act that exposes one's limitations.

The code of Abitus that completes me in this way is very complex and subtle.
The author keenly perceives these subtle differences and conveys them clearly.
We just have to be prepared to struggle through this complex code.
Whether you're a newbie just starting out or a manager struggling to find your footing, a quality habitus will solidify you and help you shine on the high ground.