It's the only such good with such a close tie to the ability to earn the high salary to begin with. Sure, a doctor is socially expected to drive a German luxury

It's the only such good with such a close tie to the ability to earn the high salary to begin with. Sure, a doctor is socially expected to drive a German luxury car, but they can in fact choose to drive a Corolla at the cost of some light ribbing. A dentist in Orange County has a practice, I don't consider a twenty minute commute a luxury good. It's something people buy for common quality-of-life reasons if they can afford to, and it happens to be nauseatingly expensive.