Obviously I’m not saying there is anything wrong with buying or owning an ultra expensive, Top Tier optic.

Just as there is nothing wrong with buying/owning ultra expensive rifles. Heck, I’d have several, including my favorite IOR Valdada, a Tangent Theta & maybe a Hensoldt..
just cause! If’n I had the disposable income that is. LOL!

And merely
owning them doesn’t make one think they are high & mighty or above others.(But anyone making a disparaging statement like
“can always tell a person whose most expensive scope is only $600.” Insinuating their knowledge & equipment are inferior to the them making the statement. No, I’ve always encouraged, if ya got the
DOH, KUDOS!
The used scope market can be great! Unfortunately, it’s not at all reliable. Might be able to find what you want, might not. I’m picky about he features I want. And I have no interest in buying a super expensive scope in a style & having features I don’t want, simply because it’s Top Tier & on sale for a great price. Smellin’ what I’m steppin’ in? For instance, the Swarovski D5 Digital, 5-25x52 rifle scope is a $5,200+ optic. But it’s a hunting scope with a simple cross-reticle & low, capped turrets. It’s the complete opposite of style & features I want. If I found it on sale USED, for $500, I wouldn’t get it. (Not speaking about reselling it for profit.)No, it just would be useless to me. That’s what I mean with the used scope market.
There are a few (like three), very nice scope options that are/were around $1000. If the style & features fall within one’s purview, they are fantastic performing options. One is the Athlon Ares ETR 4.5-30x56. Another is the scope I use. I fall into that category as well with the US Optics TS-20x 2.5-20x50.(discontinued) Althougn these scopes aren’t as nice as say Nightforce or Valdada, etc, they are still very nice optics and simply are NOT the Chinese made scopes of yore! LOL!

Unfortunately, there will always be some who simply believe if it’s from China, it’s junk.