Sanctimony
In the end, appearance may be all that matters. Take the Prius.
The hybrid uses less fuel than a gasoline-powered car. But the
Prius comes at a higher price that is rarely offset by the savings
in fuel. The Prius is a feel-good car that runs on sanctimony as
much as on its battery power. Much of its value is that everyone
can see you driving that little Earth saver.
[via [NYT]