plumage paradox
n.— «My original instinct to buy the best is what I call the plumage paradox. A peacock’s dilemma is that having a large, beautiful tail attracts females, but it also attracts predators. The message the tail sends to the female is that the peacock is genetically superior: in spite of the dangers of exposing himself, he has managed to outfox the foxes.» —“Financial Darwinism: The Plumage Paradox” Forbes Dec. 11, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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