why do people feel the need to buy expensive cable

Zd I really feel the pain of your personal experience. No child should have to endure such a personal humiliation. An example of the basis for temperance of those who would question or worse, perhaps judge? Oh the trials of audiophiles, what a most challenging journey we subject ourselves to endure.

Glad to see you bought into the MIT, Transparent "network" Dave, good for you. I once owned a pair of MIT cables, specifically the 770 for tube electronics, talk about specific for the application. Believe me, no objections, very nice in that system, I believe they retailed in the 3K figure at the time in the early 2000's. Problem was those network boxes climed above the floor, a no no with my then Merlin VSM speakers which required a dedicated support for that heavy network box. I couldn't tighten the lugs sufficiently to keep the spades from sliding off.  In my experience, maybe not as extensive as yours, is there are MANY fine alternative cables that will work in ANY application, there is no black and white better. After all, it is more often than not about taste and specific application, wouldn't you agree? 

One objection about MIT and Transparent, their upper lines are too pricey for cables, ANY cables period. I have sufficient experience owning and listening to countless cables over the years to know. When cables climb above 5 digit prices we are not talking about sound anymore contrary to some thinking, we are then in the realm of marketing and what one is willing and able to pay.