>I'd venture that most consumption is a status game. I would include the debasement of one's moral soul for social-climbing purposes in the set of aforemention

>I'd venture that most consumption is a status game. I would include the debasement of one's moral soul for social-climbing purposes in the set of aforementioned sacrifices. :) In any case, I did mention the dangers of overconsumption. There is something in between that and subsistence that is a net-positive for society (in this epoch, at least).