shane, this is a great topic....kudos.
There are some intriguing, insightful and fun to read answers on this thread. The ones on how humans think/reason, our tribalism, dominance, our innate drive to persuade or destroy others. Fascinating stuff. We all think of ourselves as logical, but I do not think that is how God or more likely Darwin made us.
Here is another angle: Audio components are not scientific instruments, they are enjoyment devices. Their entire purpose is subjective. Is there any proof that people with technically faultless systems enjoy listening more than those with less expensive systems, or more expensive systems with lots of shiny snake oil bits?
I own both a JDS Atom (You have to own that or the Massdrop THX to be a full member here), and a LIttle Dot Mk III tube amp. Not the same price, but close. Looking at the Head-Fi post count as a gauge of user enthusiasm, there have been, since the release of the JDS Atom in Nov. 2018, more posts on Head-fi about the Little Dot Mk III than the Atom. A lot are in the multiple tube rolling threads. The JDS is a little 6 oz plastic square.. The Little Dot is a gorgeous heavy chunk of metal, shiny parts, and it glows. There are a lot of things on the LD you can tweek and fiddle with that subjectively improve the sound.
So, who is having more fun, the Atom or LD Mk III owner, in a sector where fun is what it is supposedly all about?
I can understand why someone who just spent $500 on a power cord that looks fantastic and comes with a compelling, if totally false, story; is upset if we challenge their choices and are the cause of them liking their systems less. Is it objectively the right thing to do to provide the misinformed with science if it lessens their fun?