Comment by NoMoreNicksLeft

> There's an idea that modern lives demand value in material terms. All lives demand value in caloric or reproductive terms. Economics teaches us that most commodities are fungible. If you receive material value, this can be exchanged for caloric or reproductive value. Thus, modern (and non-modern) lives demand value in material terms. This isn't a philosophy, it's just a fact.

It may tasteless to you, but most people are just trying to achieve those material terms as efficiently as possible.