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>buying something useless and expensive is a very strong signal (like the peacocks tail) And how did it help the peacocks to feed itself or outrun a panther? Y

>buying something useless and expensive is a very strong signal (like the peacocks tail) And how did it help the peacocks to feed itself or outrun a panther? You will say "but the ultimate goal was to transfer his genes and he did". Yeah OK, so the ring is a lie and probably first bad financial decision in a future long strike of bad ones that help dudes to get laid and then get trapped in the rat race pay check to pay check.

facepalm 12y ago
The point of signalling is to prove fitness - the peacock can afford to carry around a huge tail because he is fit enough. Women walking on high heels PROVE physical fitness. The point is to create a signal that is hard to fake. Putting money into a down payment for a house doesn't signal commitment or financial strength. You would have had to pay for housing anyway. Throwing away x times your monthly salary shows commitment and financial strength.
- dasboth 12y ago
  Financial security is obviously important, and I might be in a minority here, but I'd like to think that financial strength isn't a good basis for choosing a partner. Depends what you want out of a relationship I guess.
  - cmdkeen 12y ago
    Financial issues ruin marriages, moreso even than infidelity. "Richer or poorer" is the bit of the vow that might seem easy when you're young, in love and likely to get richer, but if a financial crisis destroys your social circle, uproots your children and severly challenges your lifestyle then it becomes very hard to overlook.
    - jerf 12y ago
      I'd also observe that "ability to live within ones means" is not necessarily a "richer or poorer" thing. There are those who will always live within, say, 80% of their free income until you literally hit the bottom where you can no longer survive, and there are those who will always live within 125% of their income, even if you give them a 25% raise every single year of their life. The first of these is marriable, the second effectively isn't. (Note my complete lack mention of any gender whatsoever, or any other characteristics. Regardless of what the population statistics may be based on any traits a person may have, what matters is whether this person standing in front of you can live within their means, and anyone has the capacity to pass or fail this test.)
      - dasboth 12y ago
        Exactly, this is why I said financial strength (by that I mean the ability to buy an expensive diamond ring) in itself isn't as important.
  - draugadrotten 12y ago
    > I'd like to think that financial strength isn't a good basis for choosing a partner. You rarely or never see beautiful women dating beggars and homeless people. You often see beautiful women dating the rich. Draw your own conclusions, but I observe and I see that financial strength is often required for attracting a partner. Required but not sufficient.
    - dasboth 12y ago
      I agree that this is what can be observed, although it's probably a lot more complex than "being rich = beautiful partner". Either way that's why I said I'm probably in a minority in considering it less important than other traits (such as honesty and kindness).
- tormeh 12y ago
  On throwing away money as signalling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhEpMJ3n_wU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhEpMJ3n_wU Really, watch it. Both hilarious and sad. And yeah, "wasting" is a real thing (but as far as I know only for drinks).

facepalm 12y ago

The point of signalling is to prove fitness - the peacock can afford to carry around a huge tail because he is fit enough. Women walking on high heels PROVE physical fitness. The point is to create a signal that is hard to fake. Putting money into a down payment for a house doesn't signal commitment or financial strength. You would have had to pay for housing anyway. Throwing away x times your monthly salary shows commitment and financial strength.

dasboth 12y ago
Financial security is obviously important, and I might be in a minority here, but I'd like to think that financial strength isn't a good basis for choosing a partner. Depends what you want out of a relationship I guess.
- cmdkeen 12y ago
  Financial issues ruin marriages, moreso even than infidelity. "Richer or poorer" is the bit of the vow that might seem easy when you're young, in love and likely to get richer, but if a financial crisis destroys your social circle, uproots your children and severly challenges your lifestyle then it becomes very hard to overlook.
  - jerf 12y ago
    I'd also observe that "ability to live within ones means" is not necessarily a "richer or poorer" thing. There are those who will always live within, say, 80% of their free income until you literally hit the bottom where you can no longer survive, and there are those who will always live within 125% of their income, even if you give them a 25% raise every single year of their life. The first of these is marriable, the second effectively isn't. (Note my complete lack mention of any gender whatsoever, or any other characteristics. Regardless of what the population statistics may be based on any traits a person may have, what matters is whether this person standing in front of you can live within their means, and anyone has the capacity to pass or fail this test.)
    - dasboth 12y ago
      Exactly, this is why I said financial strength (by that I mean the ability to buy an expensive diamond ring) in itself isn't as important.
- draugadrotten 12y ago
  > I'd like to think that financial strength isn't a good basis for choosing a partner. You rarely or never see beautiful women dating beggars and homeless people. You often see beautiful women dating the rich. Draw your own conclusions, but I observe and I see that financial strength is often required for attracting a partner. Required but not sufficient.
  - dasboth 12y ago
    I agree that this is what can be observed, although it's probably a lot more complex than "being rich = beautiful partner". Either way that's why I said I'm probably in a minority in considering it less important than other traits (such as honesty and kindness).
tormeh 12y ago
On throwing away money as signalling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhEpMJ3n_wU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhEpMJ3n_wU Really, watch it. Both hilarious and sad. And yeah, "wasting" is a real thing (but as far as I know only for drinks).