I doubt it's embarrassing to many of the people you describe nor should it be.

There's nothing wrong with owning even the most expensive piano just for its appearance or the prestige or for the sound even if one is a beginner. I do think it's a shame that some people can't afford the piano they'd like to have. But this is far different from thinking that someone who can afford an expensive piano and buys one for whatever reason should be criticized.

At what skill level do you think owning an expensive piano, if one can afford it, becomes acceptable?

If one can't play a note one can always have a player system installed.

Posts like the ones I quoted above usually make me think the poster is just angry they can't afford something. Or envious. If one can afford any material item and doing so doesn't hurt anyone, I see no problem.

I find this quite upsetting. I understand that there are some truly AWFUL old pianos which shouldn't get a second glance, but then there are the ones with a lot of potential! Watching this video reminded me of a novel which I read last year, 'The Piano Shop on the Left Bank' - I would highly recommend it to all! I would love to end up with an old workshop restoring nice old pianos to their former glory, much like one of the main characters in the aforementioned novel.
My own Erard 1840's concert grand is currently undergoing an £11000 restoration to make him as good as new! :-) I can't wait!

I must say, sometimes we agree in thought, and sometimes we do not. This is one of the times we do not.

However, it is solely with your last line that I will concern myself, since I believe the rest of what you said is a fairly stated opinion, and I happen to be able to agree with much of what you said prior to your last paragraph.

Now, to respond to that last statement, which I do not agree with:

At what point does being able to afford more and more expensive things go from simply being able to afford more and more expensive things to actually hurting the people who cannot afford those (and other) things? Certainly, the $40-50M spent on Steinway pianos last year could not have been used for anything better. Would I be correct in thinking that, according to the logic/argument presented in your post? If that is not the case, I would be happy to hear an amendment to your thoughts. But if that actually is the case, please allow me to refute:

*The World Health Organization estimates that 6 million children die of hunger every year.*

But, nope, use that combined $50M (spent on Steinway's alone) to buy a nice piece of furniture instead.

I would venture a guess that 90 % or more, of the people in here, are not anywhere near, considered professional pianists.

Actually I think it's more like about 99.5% are not professional pianists. If PW has 50,000 members that would mean 250 are professional pianists, and even that is way too high in my estinmate.

I don't agree.
If by definition a professional pianist is one who makes their living playing the piano, then I think we likely have more than 250.
For every Jeffrey Biegel or Steve Barta or Robin Meloy Goldsby member there are 20 or 30 members who aren't as high profile, but still make a living playing the piano. And in addition to them there are tons of members who play very well, but either don't make their living at it, or only play out part time.

I meet professional pianist all across the country (and during our European Piano Tour last year, across Europe) who belong to the forums. They frequently tell me they don't often participate, but they do watch and read the forums, and they are members.

If you include piano teachers who don't give don't give concerts for pay I'd agree, but if one is talking about pianists who get paid for performing I'm not convinced. Maybe if you include people a handful of posts.

By that reasoning no one should spend money on any item usually bought even by the middle class. No one should buy a house over 1000 square feet. In fact no pianos should be purchased by anyone because the money used to purchase less expensive pianos is much more than the money used to buy Steinways.

Do you think everyone should donate all their earnings above 40K(or some other figure)to charity?

Years ago a Steinway salesperson told me that he thought almost 90% of their pianos were bought for the furniture and status. I'm not sure that I believe that figure.

People may be surprised to learn that there actually is a very lucrative, if "quiet" market out there restoring and shipping golden oldies to China.

I think if one heard the sound of the pianos and realized many/most couldn't be salvaged at any reasonable cost the unpleasantness of seeing them dumped would be far less.