But plasma TVs, besides being a luxury, are also a form of signaling that helps attracting a mate, and increases social status in general (which improves reproduction). Maybe the right argument is not “non-human capital” but “signaling”?
I think spending 99% on signaling by definition (well, by most people’s definition) wouldn’t be a “subsistence lifestyle”, so perhaps a better phrase would be “equilibrium lifestyle”. But how sure are you that there isn’t a high-signaling equilibrium? Maybe not 99%, but say >50%?
But plasma TVs, besides being a luxury, are also a form of signaling that helps attracting a mate, and increases social status in general (which improves reproduction). Maybe the right argument is not “non-human capital” but “signaling”?
I expect some signaling would be part of a subsistence lifestyle. But I don’t expect 99% of spending to be on signaling.
I think spending 99% on signaling by definition (well, by most people’s definition) wouldn’t be a “subsistence lifestyle”, so perhaps a better phrase would be “equilibrium lifestyle”. But how sure are you that there isn’t a high-signaling equilibrium? Maybe not 99%, but say >50%?