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JustAnOgre's avatar

Dear David,

I think this used to be true, but not anymore. In the 1980's driving an expensive car was high status. It is today increasingly not so - people are seen as resource-wasting, planet-killing assholes for it. Riding a bike is cooler. When did wearing golden jewelry stop being cool? I think about thirty years ago.

I think today education is status, and expensive cars or golden jewelry have an uneducated vibe. Money still matters, but it has to be signalled in a hidden, furtive, deniable, none too obvious ways.

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David Pinsof's avatar

I completely agree. Check out my post “Status Is Weird” for an explanation of this phenomenon.

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