Heights of Snobbery

There is an odd "pecking order" phenomenon that we humans appear to accept. It has to do with not only how high one achieves the heights of richness, power or even physical stature, it is about the position of the floor you live on if you reside or work in a tower building. Snobbery may be masked, but it is surely there. The very top floor is occupied by those who paid  most for their dwelling places. They are symbolically walking on the heads of all the other occupiers of the structure. While it is unlikely they are aware of that, perhaps, cynical viewpoint, they are sure to inform every and anyone who listens, that they do, in fact, live in the top floor penthouse. The receivers of this information are rarely not impressed. It's just the way we are. Perhaps the superior attitude about an elevation  higher than everyone else, has to do with the price of being there. In many tower structures, the higher you go, the more money you have to spend for the privilege of owning or renting. It can amount to thousands per floor. Where I live, we ground floor folk, don't enjoy the same elegant lighting that the upper floors have, nor do we live on a floor that no one else but us has access to but ourselves. If I try to rise up to another floor higher than mine on the elevator, my fob won't let me. It is to protect the floors above. But on my floor, everyone can trod the halls unobstructed other than those entering the front door and its so-called security system that somehow remains wide open when someone is moving in or out or a delivery person is admitted by a kind-hearted, but foolish individual. In our human dominated world, logic does not always prevail. So why is  special attention given those who occupy space on high? I don't think the sad situation that happened on nine-eleven or others during major earthquakes or hurricanes, would laud the advantages of being high in a tall structure. During fires or natural disasters other than tsunamis, it is for one's greater safety to live on lower floors, if not the bottom ones. Escape history proves it key.  Elevators are not to be used during incidents of fire, for example, and persons in wheel chairs must plan other ways of leaving a building. Descent, otherwise, becomes  almost impossible for the mobility handicapped. Perhaps the air is fresher on high, or the view is better or privacy greater that is the bigger attraction. It isn't just in buildings but also, for example on cruise ships, that costly upper decks are more elegant and those affording them receive specialized privileges. On planes the situation is similar but slightly skewed. The front of the plane, not the back, is the prime seating area but the same subtle snobbery ensues.  Or maybe we lower floor folk are just wallowing in envy?