Seems to be a chicken-and-egg problem here: if people only eat chili peppers because they see high-status people doing so, why did the first high-status person start eating them? It would make much more sense if unappealing food was associated with low status (the losers have to eat chili peppers because they can’t get anything else).
Another question, why are small children so picky about food? Do they perhaps consider their parents too low-status to imitate? Doesn’t seem right, considering that they imitate them on many other things.
Seems to be a chicken-and-egg problem here: if people only eat chili peppers because they see high-status people doing so, why did the first high-status person start eating them? It would make much more sense if unappealing food was associated with low status (the losers have to eat chili peppers because they can’t get anything else).
Another question, why are small children so picky about food? Do they perhaps consider their parents too low-status to imitate? Doesn’t seem right, considering that they imitate them on many other things.
I think small kids are different.
For adults, there are some dynamics but that doesn’t invalidate the point that there is plasticity.
Also some old SSC posts with some theories:
https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/04/22/right-is-the-new-left/
https://slatestarcodex.com/2015/10/21/contra-simler-on-prestige/