A flex is a costume. Some people wear it because they’re scared of what’s underneath.

Display is often defence. The loud car, the constant updates, the price mentioned when nobody asked, all of it can be an attempt to settle a question about themselves that no amount of display will ever answer. Seeing that makes the whole performance far less impressive and much less worth racing against.

When somebody’s show starts making you feel small, ask what it might be protecting. Then look at your own version, because everyone has one. Work out which parts of how you present are for you and which are for a jury that is not in session.