Perhaps you're high enough up the ladder that those are simply the people you know and interact with?

Move higher up and "personal city on the moon" becomes the status symbol. Move lower down and it's still cars. What type of car, and what modifications it has, etc, become quite important talking points.

A recent SMBC seems to me to explain it well: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/esteem-2

> A recent SMBC seems to me to explain it well: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/esteem-2

The bonus panel is hilarious!

It's important to recognize the bubble you're in. Go to the American south and the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge is a major identity for a lot of people. You'll see ridiculous bumper stickers like "I'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy." or "Ford. Like Chevy but for men."

And the more you customize your truck, the "higher" your status. To the point where you get ridiculous monstrosities like this https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTCPjEi.... There is no point to this besides to declare ones status.

Hell even closer to your bubble of private jets and yachts, plenty of high net worth people collect expensive and rare cars. It is a major status symbol to say they have 1 of 500 La Ferraris made or 1 of 375 McLaren P1's.

> Go to the American south and the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge is a major identity for a lot of people. You'll see ridiculous bumper stickers like "I'd rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy." or "Ford. Like Chevy but for men."

For what it's worth, I live in the Deep South and while I do see bumper stickers of that sort every now and then, the sentiment behind it is generally just banter. Most people with one probably have three or four identities more important than "I'm a Dodge guy", whether it be "I'm a Christian", "I'm a father", or what have you.