This world operates on the principle of equivalent exchange, as exemplified by the bride price demanded by many couples. Essentially, the bride price is a penalty for a man's perceived inadequacy. The higher the bride price demanded, the worse you are perceived in their eyes. The worse you are, the more bride price is needed to compensate for this perceived deficiency. Simply put, the worse a man is, the more he wants to use a high bride price to secure a superior woman while simultaneously compensating for his own shortcomings.