"Its upto you how people perceive you and where they place you based on what you do or say, not necessarily on what you have, just like any other society. (mostly)"
I think this is really true.
If you have a chip on your shoulder cuz you never went to university and you wear you status anxiety on your sleeve, (talking about a hypothetical person of course), your behavior could be off-putting just as a matter of you as an individual.
If you are insufferable due to your attitudes and behavior then your place in a social hierarchy is not really an issue.
And let me emphasize that I have been at great pains to say "IF".