[antisthenes]

Imagine trying to shame someone by calling them a tightwad because they spent 30k on a car, instead of 60.

And trying to paint living below your means in a negative light.

Here's the problem in buying "luxury" and enjoying life in 2024 - many things are just marketed as luxury, and impose a hefty markup for the seller. They aren't actually that much higher quality than something 1/3 or 1/4 the price.

These kinds of goods embody the worst parts of capitalism - withholding surplus value from the person producing the good in the maximum amount possible and also creating an item that isn't needed, this creating waste and putting pressure on already scarce resources.

Maybe these "tightwads" just don't care about this kind of negative signaling? Of course such a thought doesn't even occur to the author. Instead it's labeling and trying to somehow tie it to immigration.

Note: this doesn't mean complete aversion to spending money. I have no problem with people or myself spending thousands of dollars on their tools of the trade for a hobby they enjoy like woodworking/photography/sports, whatever.