Commentary As the elaborately plumed peacock reminds us, both men and beasts have ways of displaying their assets and their power. The peacock, it seems, puts on an extraordinary audiovisual show, using his magnificent plumage to shake, rattle, and make the crest on the female’s head vibrate in response. Humans display their status in other ways, of course, through fancy houses, expensive hobbies (like polo or golf), and possessions (jewelry, luxury boats, and cars). In England, where I grew up, it’s not simply that the higher your class position, the more you lavish on products and services that show off your wealth or leisure time because they’re beyond the reach of your fellow citizens. Modesty and self-deprecation (think Hugh Grant) are also signs of status. People compare old money with new, the well established in the upper ranks of society with the newly rich. So a man of the upper …