Agree about usury and all (I think mortgages should probably be illegal), but is consumerism really a big driver of high earners continuing to focus on high ear

Agree about usury and all (I think mortgages should probably be illegal), but is consumerism really a big driver of high earners continuing to focus on high earning as opposed to more altruistic research? I feel like keeping up with the Jones’ maxes out at a level that, while much higher than the median income, is not that high among the incomes of geniuses wasting their potential at tech companies. The treadmill feels much much much more about status and future freedom than about consumption itself (granted some consumption is status signaling in nature).