Why are we so greedy?

During my daily routine of checking my email and the news, I came across this article about the different kinds of breakups. While I agree for the most part about the article, there was something that jumped out at me....

What struck me was the story in the fourth type of break up... I would have broken up with that chick too! Are you kidding me? $20,000 dollars for a wedding ring? Just the ring?!? I won't even be spending that much on my entire wedding when I get married. How the hell much is she expecting to spend on the wedding? I don't think the guy in the story was far off... even $5,000 sounds like a ton of money to spend on a wedding ring. For an engagement ring, okay... but the wedding ring? Now, if they were talking about engagement rings, guess what? $20,000 is still way too much. I've looked and found quite a few perfectly lovely engagement rings that were around $5,000 including the center stone. The engagement setting that I dream of would be about $6,000 with the center stone. The matching wedding ring is about $2,000... so assuming I were actually going to get that set, my entire bridal set would be 2/5 of what this chick is apparently going to demand of whichever poor sod eventually decides to put up with her. I can't imagine walking around with eight grand on my finger. I'd be perpetually paranoid, watching everyone around me, keeping my hand firmly in my pocket. With 20 grand on my hand I'd be such a mental case that I'd be spending my days in a jacket with lots of buckles in a room with really soft walls. This chick is expecting, even demanding, to end up walking around with more than 20 grand on one finger... probably in shoes that cost a grand, with a purse that cost a grand.....

Once I got over that initial reaction, I started wondering... why do people seem to need the more expensive material items? Why must we all be striving to show up our neighbors? This often nearly pathological need for the bigger, better, brighter TV, or newer more luxurious car, whatever, is all for what? To feel a small measure of satisfaction and gloat for a little while to make you feel better than whomever you're trying to show up? How long does that last until it starts all over again, towards someone else? I do not understand. Why do you need to be better than anyone else? We each have unique strengths, each of us are valuable in our own way... and now I'm getting too philosophical.

Unfortunately, this will probably end up being a topic I rant about a lot... because I honestly just don't get it.

Would you feel comfortable walking around with more than 20 grand on your hand?