Rivalarrival

Enigmas never age.

...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gWtrnb4KjU

and part of that is that adults absolutely do buy stupid status symbols to flex on each other.

Exactly. And when they do, we don't say "Well, that's just what humanity does".

We say "Despise these covetous pricks".

The alternative is some variety of private mortgage insurance. The insurer bets that housing prices will rise, so that you won't default. If you do default, they reimburse the lender on their losses associated with your default.

I use "philosophy" to mean one's individual, personal relationship with reality: how they choose to interact with the world around them. I understand this is a somewhat atypical use. There is probably a better word for that concept. It eludes me at this time.

As I used the term, "Christian teachings" (etc.) would only qualify as a philosophy if the individual actually adheres to those tenets. If not, those teachings are just a work of fiction.

There certainly are "striking similarities" throughout the the populace and time. My point is that we don't need to accept, excuse, explain, or tolerate those widespread behaviors simply because they are widespread. As I see it, "Human nature" is a slightly more egalitarian synonym for "boys will be boys".

What's the culture where people don't covet meaningless status symbols?

While there are numerous examples of such philosophies and cultures around the globe, I don't actually need to identify such a culture to demonstrate my point.

If one can remain human without engaging in this behavior, this behavior is not a characteristic of the human condition.

The question before you is whether the members of such a hypothetical culture are inhuman specifically because they do not engage in that covetous behavior.

The abhorrent behaviors being described are conditions of ideas held by certain members of the species. The species is not lessened by the rejection of such ideas. The "certain members" are lessened by their adherence to those ideas.

Jet-A is kerosene and a handful of additives, mostly to prevent gelling at low temperatures. The ability to produce jet fuel from sea water would be extremely useful, but I highly doubt they have developed a feasible system on board a carrier.

Don't pretend we've ever been better than that as a species.

Will you make the argument that people who refuse to follow such fashion trends are somehow inhuman?

If you are unwilling to make such an argument, I will not accept your premise that this is a trait of the "species".

What you (and the parent comment) are describing is a characteristic of certain childish behaviors, philosophies and cultures.

The sophomoric behavior of these geriatric children is not an indictment of humanity in general.

Those aren't adults. Those are geriatric children.

And yet, still not a distraction from all the child raping.

There is, actually. It's a seemingly obscene option.

In the 20th century, we called it Mutually Assured Destruction.

In the 18th century, it was known by a more patriotic aphorism: "Give me liberty, or give me death".

Society stops being repressive when everyone goes about their day with a claymore strapped to their chest. Everyone gets real polite, real fast. Everyone starts turning the other cheek, right up until someone gets overly frustrated, or someone else pushes their luck just a little too far.

Short of that, the solution is not an external system, but an internalized, yet shared philosophy.

One thing is certain: it won't come from polarized politics.

America currently deports people for having come here from somewhere else. What the people have done between coming here and now is pretty much irrelevant to the process.

Don't touch our boats.