why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

It really makes me laugh HAAARD folks.
I read the story of Joshua Bell who spent his last penny to become an owner of Stradivarius just because he loved playing it and loved this sound and he couldn't let it to some dumb billioneaire... PURE RESPECT to maestro!!!
Keep going with your good sounding wires LMFAO!

Update...I just ordered some new MIT CABLES...expensive? Not when you consider how much more enjoyable my listening sessions are with them installed!

"IMPORTANT: Use the best available speaker wires and interconnects. Audio Research cannot emphasize this enough. As better components and systems are developed, it becomes increasingly important to avoid the limitations of inferior system interconnections."

From the owner's manual for Model Reference 210, among others in their line. If your cables are performing underneath your system's capability, then you are not hearing your system. Build them or buy them--you cannot scrimp on cords and cables. Don't listen to the Home Depot, zip wire, lamp cord, power strip adherents--unless you want their mid-fi sound.

11-13-15: Calvinj
Why do others feel the need to ask why? Hmmmm? Watching another man's pockets! Oh no it's worse at Hong another man's cables!!!

There are 2 simple answers to OP question. You can ask this same question about any commodity, cars, clothing ... Either the purchase is a status symbol or superior performance.

This thread is more a reflection of the OP and members that criticize how others spend their money. They lack the resources sitting outside the fence so will criticize others to justify their own situation.

if someone posts that they have an expensive Watch collection, or Wine collection, everyone has a positive reaction. it's cool. even a sailboat or toy car.

but if someone who has worked hard to assemble the best possible audio system finds that one of the only avenues left to push a little farther down the road is with an 'uber' set of cables then it's fair game to bash them.

in their minds, it's not 'cool enough' or 'accepted' so the haters come out. in their minds they cannot accept the value equation like those other indulgent uses for discretionary cash so might as well take shots.

just the negative pack mentality going on.