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> 3. Rich man in the car paradox. > When you see someone driving a nice car, you rarely think, “Wow, the guy driving that car is cool.” Instead, you think, “Wo

> 3. Rich man in the car paradox. > When you see someone driving a nice car, you rarely think, “Wow, the guy driving that car is cool.” Instead, you think, “Wow, if I had that car people would think I’m cool.” Subconscious or not, this is how people think. Just realized that that is how I think... :facepalm:

odonnellryan 8y ago
I think I generally think, would it be fun to drive that car?
- tibbetts 8y ago
  The I think “maybe I should rent one on vacation sometime.” And after three days with a BMW Z4 convertible, I get that out of my system for well under $1k. I also resolved my interest in Jeep Wranglers this way.
  - odonnellryan 8y ago
    It's a good idea. Renting in general has proved to be too much trouble for me. I actually bought my last car because it was too much a pain in the ass to rent a SUV! I needed a new car anyway, so I figured it was a $1,500-$2k discount if I just bought one. The Honda CRV has been fairly decent: I use it for what it is good for, too. Winter trips with multiple people.
robertAngst 8y ago
I look at those cars and think that someone has a monthly payment and cant manage their money. I rather give money to charity than have an expensive car to sit in traffic with. I find people around me similar, there seems less of a desire to chase luxury products.
- tedmiston 8y ago
  Personally, I'd rather hold the money and maintain financial independence and lifestyle optionality than have the luxury car or anything else.
- q-base 8y ago
  And he/she would rather have the experience of owning the car they have always dreamt of, while still giving to charities. Or he could be a drug-dealer ruining peoples lives while rubbing it in your face that being a criminal and bad person pays of. We have no way of knowing.
tfha 8y ago
When I see a rich car, I always think "heh I guess this guy likes to rub in our faces that he has more money than us... this is why I could never buy a nice car." I'll probably drive a used corolla for my whole life just out of unwillingness to make people feel like I'm better than they are. I have similar troubles flying business class. At least let business class be a separate plane >.>
- isostatic 8y ago
  Depends on the intrinsic value of a flashy car, or what you think flashy is I guess. A car with air con is clearly better than one without in many countries for example. Same with business class - clearly having a bed to sleep in on a 10 hour flight is better than sitting up, how much better depends how much you value your sleep.
  - toomanybeersies 8y ago
    A Porsche 911 is in almost every sense a less practical car than a Toyota Corolla.
    - njarboe 8y ago
      That is true. I suppose that is why the 911 is in the sports car category.
- csomar 8y ago
  I disagree. I think BMW, at least, offer more than showing off for driving. Safety and comfort. Also if I'm flying 12h, I'd really enjoy the business class. The reason I don't pay for it now is because, well, eh, it is expensive and I'm still young. But I can't imagine 10 years down the line flying economic class for work/tourism on a 10 hours flight. It's too much torture to be worth it.
- ACow_Adonis 8y ago
  Look at it this way: conspicuous displays of wealth are very cheap signals for the rational members of the human race to pick out what we call, in technical sociological language, "wankers". Indeed, nice cars say to me: "there's a moron who lacks taste/perspective, and probably is really bad at managing their life and money. They probably have large amounts of debt and leverage.". You can call me judgmental, but its an infinitely better attitude to take than anything approaching admiration/jealousy.
pksadiq 8y ago
>> When you see someone driving a nice car, you rarely think, “Wow, the guy driving that car is cool.” Instead, you think, “Wow, if I had that car people would think I’m cool.” Subconscious or not, this is how people think. > Just realized that that is how I think... :facepalm: When I see someone spending too much money on unnecessary things (unnecessary according to my current view) I think: "If I get rich I should donate a lot of my money to people in need." But along with, I do also think: "Did this guy too would/did think the same if [s]he is in short of money?" or "Will I change my mind if I get too much money?" We can do dream or think of our actions in many hypothetical situations. But we can't ever be sure what we would actually do if such a situation happen.
- q-base 8y ago
  And he/she could already be giving a lot to people in need. We have no way of knowing, so should not judge.
  - ACow_Adonis 8y ago
    But there is a point where being a rational human being is defined by judgement. After all, knowledge and wisdom is the judgemental discernment between the good and the bad. Smoking, ceteris paribus, generally has bad effects. Lack of fitness and personal nutritional health, ceteris parbius, is a bad. Lack of education and pride in ignorance, ceteris paribus, is bad. In the same way, although we shouldn't throw out or disown members of the human species just because they partake in objectionable or flawed activities (after all, none of us are perfect), it would be a better world if we could recognise that conspicuous consumption, ceteris paribus, is a "bad thing", not something to be admired or desired.
    - q-base 8y ago
      Had to look up a lot of fine words to discern that answer. But I still stand by that you cannot equal expensive cars with conspicuous consumption as in the definition "the spending of money on and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power". You can buy expensive cars for other purposes than showing off. And you cannot equal driving in expensive cars with evil/bad. The striving for that expensive car can be the exact motivation that made that guy or girl work extra hard for creating something valuable to the world. Life is easier if you put people into boxes, but in reality you have no idea about their way of life, struggles. motivations or contributions to society.
zaarn 8y ago
When I see an expensive car the only thing I can think is "wow, what a good way to blow money on useless shit". The best car I ever had cost 5000€, used it for almost 100Mm until I switched to public transport and ended up selling it. Why would I pay 60k on a car if I can get to where I want just as fast with 5k? (my only requirement is "have radio, have A/C, pass inspection for the next 10 years")
- notenoughstuff 8y ago
  Hacker News: where people mock $1000 monthly car payments while spending $2500 a month on a bedroom in a house.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
  > When I see an expensive car the only thing I can think is "wow, what a good way to blow money on useless shit". I'm not alone in this then. I find it incredibly odd how much money people seem willing to sink into cars. Why would anyone take out a loan to purchase an asset that will depreciate rapidly and provides practically no extra value? Why do people buy pickup trucks when they don't need to haul things around all the time (and in fact would probably balk at the idea because it would damage the bed)? People are weird, man.
  - m0nty 8y ago
    > Why do people buy pickup trucks Because the back-end of that truck is an almost precise corollary to a Peacock's tail: practically useless, but designed to impress others with the ability of its owner to carry something useless and thrive.
    - georgeecollins 8y ago
      This sounds like the view of someone who has never owned a pickup truck. I did once, because I needed transportation and a friend had a reliable one to share. Every time a friend needed to move apartments, they would ask what I was doing. Pickup trucks are really useful for moving large objects like furniture or lots of big boxes. Depending on how you live they may be an affectation, but in my brief experience the utility was real. (As opposed to SUV's which don't seem to really hold more space than vans, and almost never go off-road.)
zby 8y ago
That's directly from Rene Girard mimetic theory.
baud147258 8y ago
There's a good comment on that by a car seller here: https://money.stackexchange.com/a/44111 https://money.stackexchange.com/a/44111
iamcasen 8y ago
Some people have so much cashflow, that they need to spend it. Most banks are only FDIC insured up to 1 million bucks max. Most are only 250k actually. If you make 1 million per year... you gotta spend that money some how. Even if you lived modestly in a middle class neighborhood, and saved/invested 600k per year, you could afford a new 100k car every year if you wanted.
simonebrunozzi 8y ago
I guess most (all?) of us had a few facepalms after reading the entire article. :)
jriot 8y ago
I question the functionality of the car and the individuals decision making. Granted I live in a mountainous region with plenty of back/dirt roads in Idaho and usually drive around them because they are going to slow. I do see a lot of Range Rovers and usually wonder if they perform well in adverse conditions.

odonnellryan 8y ago

I think I generally think, would it be fun to drive that car?

tibbetts 8y ago
The I think “maybe I should rent one on vacation sometime.” And after three days with a BMW Z4 convertible, I get that out of my system for well under $1k. I also resolved my interest in Jeep Wranglers this way.
- odonnellryan 8y ago
  It's a good idea. Renting in general has proved to be too much trouble for me. I actually bought my last car because it was too much a pain in the ass to rent a SUV! I needed a new car anyway, so I figured it was a $1,500-$2k discount if I just bought one. The Honda CRV has been fairly decent: I use it for what it is good for, too. Winter trips with multiple people.

robertAngst 8y ago

I look at those cars and think that someone has a monthly payment and cant manage their money. I rather give money to charity than have an expensive car to sit in traffic with. I find people around me similar, there seems less of a desire to chase luxury products.

tedmiston 8y ago
Personally, I'd rather hold the money and maintain financial independence and lifestyle optionality than have the luxury car or anything else.
q-base 8y ago
And he/she would rather have the experience of owning the car they have always dreamt of, while still giving to charities. Or he could be a drug-dealer ruining peoples lives while rubbing it in your face that being a criminal and bad person pays of. We have no way of knowing.

tfha 8y ago

When I see a rich car, I always think "heh I guess this guy likes to rub in our faces that he has more money than us... this is why I could never buy a nice car." I'll probably drive a used corolla for my whole life just out of unwillingness to make people feel like I'm better than they are. I have similar troubles flying business class. At least let business class be a separate plane >.>

isostatic 8y ago
Depends on the intrinsic value of a flashy car, or what you think flashy is I guess. A car with air con is clearly better than one without in many countries for example. Same with business class - clearly having a bed to sleep in on a 10 hour flight is better than sitting up, how much better depends how much you value your sleep.
- toomanybeersies 8y ago
  A Porsche 911 is in almost every sense a less practical car than a Toyota Corolla.
  - njarboe 8y ago
    That is true. I suppose that is why the 911 is in the sports car category.
csomar 8y ago
I disagree. I think BMW, at least, offer more than showing off for driving. Safety and comfort. Also if I'm flying 12h, I'd really enjoy the business class. The reason I don't pay for it now is because, well, eh, it is expensive and I'm still young. But I can't imagine 10 years down the line flying economic class for work/tourism on a 10 hours flight. It's too much torture to be worth it.
ACow_Adonis 8y ago
Look at it this way: conspicuous displays of wealth are very cheap signals for the rational members of the human race to pick out what we call, in technical sociological language, "wankers". Indeed, nice cars say to me: "there's a moron who lacks taste/perspective, and probably is really bad at managing their life and money. They probably have large amounts of debt and leverage.". You can call me judgmental, but its an infinitely better attitude to take than anything approaching admiration/jealousy.

pksadiq 8y ago

>> When you see someone driving a nice car, you rarely think, “Wow, the guy driving that car is cool.” Instead, you think, “Wow, if I had that car people would think I’m cool.” Subconscious or not, this is how people think. > Just realized that that is how I think... :facepalm: When I see someone spending too much money on unnecessary things (unnecessary according to my current view) I think: "If I get rich I should donate a lot of my money to people in need." But along with, I do also think: "Did this guy too would/did think the same if [s]he is in short of money?" or "Will I change my mind if I get too much money?" We can do dream or think of our actions in many hypothetical situations. But we can't ever be sure what we would actually do if such a situation happen.

q-base 8y ago
And he/she could already be giving a lot to people in need. We have no way of knowing, so should not judge.
- ACow_Adonis 8y ago
  But there is a point where being a rational human being is defined by judgement. After all, knowledge and wisdom is the judgemental discernment between the good and the bad. Smoking, ceteris paribus, generally has bad effects. Lack of fitness and personal nutritional health, ceteris parbius, is a bad. Lack of education and pride in ignorance, ceteris paribus, is bad. In the same way, although we shouldn't throw out or disown members of the human species just because they partake in objectionable or flawed activities (after all, none of us are perfect), it would be a better world if we could recognise that conspicuous consumption, ceteris paribus, is a "bad thing", not something to be admired or desired.
  - q-base 8y ago
    Had to look up a lot of fine words to discern that answer. But I still stand by that you cannot equal expensive cars with conspicuous consumption as in the definition "the spending of money on and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to publicly display economic power". You can buy expensive cars for other purposes than showing off. And you cannot equal driving in expensive cars with evil/bad. The striving for that expensive car can be the exact motivation that made that guy or girl work extra hard for creating something valuable to the world. Life is easier if you put people into boxes, but in reality you have no idea about their way of life, struggles. motivations or contributions to society.

zaarn 8y ago

When I see an expensive car the only thing I can think is "wow, what a good way to blow money on useless shit". The best car I ever had cost 5000€, used it for almost 100Mm until I switched to public transport and ended up selling it. Why would I pay 60k on a car if I can get to where I want just as fast with 5k? (my only requirement is "have radio, have A/C, pass inspection for the next 10 years")

notenoughstuff 8y ago
Hacker News: where people mock $1000 monthly car payments while spending $2500 a month on a bedroom in a house.
AnIdiotOnTheNet 8y ago
> When I see an expensive car the only thing I can think is "wow, what a good way to blow money on useless shit". I'm not alone in this then. I find it incredibly odd how much money people seem willing to sink into cars. Why would anyone take out a loan to purchase an asset that will depreciate rapidly and provides practically no extra value? Why do people buy pickup trucks when they don't need to haul things around all the time (and in fact would probably balk at the idea because it would damage the bed)? People are weird, man.
- m0nty 8y ago
  > Why do people buy pickup trucks Because the back-end of that truck is an almost precise corollary to a Peacock's tail: practically useless, but designed to impress others with the ability of its owner to carry something useless and thrive.
  - georgeecollins 8y ago
    This sounds like the view of someone who has never owned a pickup truck. I did once, because I needed transportation and a friend had a reliable one to share. Every time a friend needed to move apartments, they would ask what I was doing. Pickup trucks are really useful for moving large objects like furniture or lots of big boxes. Depending on how you live they may be an affectation, but in my brief experience the utility was real. (As opposed to SUV's which don't seem to really hold more space than vans, and almost never go off-road.)

zby 8y ago

That's directly from Rene Girard mimetic theory.

baud147258 8y ago

There's a good comment on that by a car seller here: https://money.stackexchange.com/a/44111 https://money.stackexchange.com/a/44111

iamcasen 8y ago

Some people have so much cashflow, that they need to spend it. Most banks are only FDIC insured up to 1 million bucks max. Most are only 250k actually. If you make 1 million per year... you gotta spend that money some how. Even if you lived modestly in a middle class neighborhood, and saved/invested 600k per year, you could afford a new 100k car every year if you wanted.

simonebrunozzi 8y ago

I guess most (all?) of us had a few facepalms after reading the entire article. :)

jriot 8y ago

I question the functionality of the car and the individuals decision making. Granted I live in a mountainous region with plenty of back/dirt roads in Idaho and usually drive around them because they are going to slow. I do see a lot of Range Rovers and usually wonder if they perform well in adverse conditions.