> So this becomes a social competition to see who can waste the most resources? Slightly more subtle than that: Waste the resources without incurring financia

> So this becomes a social competition to see who can waste the most resources? Slightly more subtle than that: Waste the resources without incurring financial hardship. That last part is important. > It sounds like it has barbaric roots Not unlike the mating ritual itself. > You'll never find an end to the people who are willing to provide the same product for a higher price. Again, it's more subtle: The social signal includes being able to discern and choose well among the competing alternatives.