Having kids used to be a peer status signal. Maybe an expensive dog is just as good now? People are highly motivated to chase expensive status signals (expensi

Having kids used to be a peer status signal. Maybe an expensive dog is just as good now? People are highly motivated to chase expensive status signals (expensive can be time or other resource commitments). I reckon the better-house-upgrade-cycle drives a lot of the economy. Perhaps less so now, when many people can't afford the down-payment/mortgage. I watch friends working really hard to over-capitalise.