It was a point of honor amongst the wealthiest of Siem that THEY - Siem would be the last to eat and the first to starve in ANY situation.
That's very interesting and not something that you see much in the world today. It's so counter to most things that we're taught: accumulate, buy, look better, get newer, be cooler. How different would life be if we were all in constant states of debt-loan-obligation. You would probably have closer relationships with those people and have more incentive to see them succeed.
Great food for thought!
:)