Back in the old days, it was simple: men who had a lot of money got the most attractive women. But nowadays, women are quickly outpacing men in college degrees and taking over in professions like law and the natural sciences. Plus there’s a giant government safety net women can use to have children freely. Women don’t need men to live anymore.

I’m only talking about developed first world countries here. In the most developed countries, looks seem to matter the most for men. South Korea, for example, has very high looks expectations for men, to the point where men are getting plastic surgery at high rates. In America, plastic surgery is also rising, as well as a booming men’s fashion industry. It seems that looks and social status (“coolness”) are now the most important factor. Also look at how software engineers make a lot of money, but in places like San Francisco where they are common, they don’t do well with women.

So in rich developed countries, how much influence does money play on the SMP?