As an Asian who has lived half of my life in Asia and half in America, what is really happening is that Asian people want to use the least amount of money to buy things that appear to be the most luxury or project the most wealth or power. It is almost a competition in the society and among friends on who is (or at least appear to be) the most successful in their life/career. Money and image is everything. These kind of thinking and values appear in other culture and western society in certain extent, but no where near the severity in Asian culture.