I agree, but don’t think there’s need to be quite so reductionist. The task is to link these proximate and ultimate factors, figuring ways to make the proximate norms driving status-driven behaviors less materially consumptive. I suspect these traits will/can develop locally, indeed already are, but these local adaptations need to be shielded off from TV and other corporate/large-scale interests promoting consumption - with slick, effective persuasion tools behind them. Many elements for locally less consumptive normative behavior are already at play – “unplug your TV”, “walk more for health”, etc. But how to make and keep them normative?