Oh, You're Such a Show-Off!

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The urge to show off seems to be a universal human trait. The Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest called it Potlatch. This was a redistribution of wealth by the tribal chiefs.

[Source: Wikimedia Commons]

This may seem like a generous impulse on the part of the chief... even though it was often marred by much boasting. However, "a chief might opt not to give away his material goods, but to destroy them instead, by throwing items into the ocean or by throwing crates of whale oil onto a fire. Many Northwestern potlatches included a chief tearing up blankets, punching holes in canoes, and even killing his own slaves or burning down his house." --- Tim McNeese, Complete Myths of Native America, at 252.

This suggests that showing off was the main motive behind the potlatch. Today, this motive is manifested in the propensity of wealthy Chinese to order shark-fin soup. The stuff can cost up to $100 a bowl. Yet the fin has no special nutritional value and is said to lack any distinctive taste. Still it's reported that tens of millions of sharks have died a slow, painful death for the sake of obtaining this luxury... just so the nouveau riche of China can act as if they were Chinese emperors.

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I've always thought that luxury cars are just another way of showing off. Obviously the McLaren F-1, which Mr. Bean wrecked recently,is a perfect example. It was valued at seven figures, not because it could possibly have held that intrinsic worth (unless gold-plated), but because only 100 were made. The distinction of owning one of only 100, of being able to show the world you could afford one, had to have been the attraction.

Showing off seems to come naturally to kids. The best among us learn to suppress the urge as we mature. The worst among us insist on doing things such as paying $100 for shark-fin soup, even if it wipes out some species.