This sort of thing was done at a time when everybody did it, and now that it's not done, nobody does it
No kid ever said "did you see the sweater that Timmy's grandma knitted for him? That kid is so cool! "
Mostly because they all had grams sweaters as well.
I don't know what term you were looking for, but a handmade present for someone dear is about the furthest thing from a "status symbol" that I can think of:
- it can't be bought
- it can't be transferred without losing almost all value (ie: it's only valuable to you, or at most your family, eBay doesn't want it)
- it provides no improvement whatsoever in one's social standing
I can't connect it at all to your listed points. An Olympic medal is about obvious a status symbol as I can imagine but it can't (meaningfully) be bought or transferred.
The status signified with a knit sweater is membership (and good standing!) in a caring family with elders not yet fully subsumed into their phones.
People, acquaintances and strangers alike, frequently comment on the knit socks I often wear, ask after who made them, and all of a sudden we're on "how's your mom" terms.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Olympic-Medal/27291/bn_55191416?_sop=...
> People, acquaintances and strangers alike, frequently comment on the knit socks I often wear,
Ok, that explains pretty much everything about your line of thought.
Thanks.
> https://www.ebay.com/b/Olympic-Medal/27291/bn_55191416?_sop=...
Of course you can buy an Olympic medal. You can't buy the status conferred by the medal (of Olympic champion / nth runner up).
> Ok, that explains pretty much everything about your line of thought.
I don't understand this either. Are you insulting me?
I'm also completely unimpressed by someone wearing a Rolex though, so different mileage for different people.
Understanding words does not require being impressed by anything, nor caring about the opinion of kids.
The old rich doesn't give a shit about Rolex watches beyond noticing the newb rich using them to tell on themselves.
If people don't consider that someone with more money is of a higher status then symbols of that wealth aren't meaningful.
I think a lot of people have an ingrained belief that "more money == more status"