What has changed in the way humans display their capabilities to one another since prehistoric times?
In prehistoric times traits such as kindness, conscientiousness, health, energy, and attractiveness were displayed through face-to-face talking, by exhibiting various skills such as hunting and fishing abilities. Because people lived in small groups, they learned a lot about each other and got to know each other very well. They had accurate estimates of each other’s traits. With the advent of civilization and the rise of new occupations and the division of labor, we invented new ways of displaying our traits. We do so through lifestyle decisions, the goods and services we buy, how we invest, which charities we donate to, and even by our political and religious attitudes. All those are signals to others about us. How does advertising come into play? Some advertising is just about informing consumers about the utility of a product—that this laundry detergent works better than its competitor. But most advertising is about creating unconscious connections between a brand and a consumer’s t
