Status symbols are just that. Status symbols. If you look through nature, you see very similar behaviors everywhere: the "frivolous" use of resources to demonst

Status symbols are just that. Status symbols. If you look through nature, you see very similar behaviors everywhere: the "frivolous" use of resources to demonstrate an individual's status in the group, and their desirability as a mate. Peacock's feathers, caribou antlers, those absolutely kickin' nests that some birds assemble, penguins with their shiny rock collections, humans with our shiny rock collections. It's a bit of a prisoner's dilemma, in that one's unwillingness to engage in such demonstrations of status will be interpreted as an inability to do so, but to the individual its still an optimal play. At least it gives us an excuse to acquire pretty things. Can you imagine how ugly the world would be if no one was building architectural marvels or designing elaborate cars or jewelry because they could poor concrete into cubes more cheaply?