@nev I vaguely remember a time before all those house flipping shows trained everyone to think of their house as an investment instead of, you know, a home. So many people, even ones who will never flip a home, are afraid to design their home the way they'd prefer because it might hurt the "resale value" because they've been brainwashed to think of their house primarily as an investment in the future rather than a place to live their lives.
@nev I know this is not exactly the same as what you're talking about but, boy, does it reflect how "market thinking" has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. No wonder we've turned housing into a commodity.