Should Mountain Bikes Really Be So Expensive?

Why are mountain bikes so expensive? This is a common question among people new to mountain biking or even the ones familiar with it. It will most likely be met with a reply such as "Yeah, but the technology used in mountain bikes has improved sooo much and mountain bikes are really expensive to manufacture and bla bla bla". I am so fucking sick and tired of hearing bullshit like this. 

I honestly don't care how people want to spend their money. If they want to go out and spend 6 grand on a bike that's fine with me. But what I absolutely despise is when they start trying to justify the purchase they just made even though they know deep down that there is no way of justifying it. Claiming that mountain bikes ought to be that expensive because of "insert any bullshit excuse here" is straight up ignorant. 

I don't understand why people love to use the "new and improved and constantly advancing technology" excuse whenever the above question is posed. They pretend as if the mountain biking related companies are the only ones that have to be innovative and improve their existing technologies and better their products. This is the case for every single product in every single aspect of life. It is literally their job to do that. I'm not denying that mountain bikes haven't improved over the past few years. It's noteworthy just how much better mountain bikes have gotten over the past 5 years or so and I truly admire that. But that doesn't justify their price tag. 

I am all for people getting out there and having fun on their bikes, which in the end, is the real value of mountain biking. I just can't help but feel like I'm getting ripped off every time I buy anything mountain bike related. It feels like mountain biking is turning into something that only rich people will be able to afford, when it actually should be becoming more accessible for everyone, especially the younger crowds. That's why I always get excited when I see bikes like the Calibre Bossnut and direct sales brands like Commencal, Yt Industries and Canyon.

In the end, mountain bike companies will always remain just that, companies. It is no secret that the majority of the bikes out there aren't meant for teenagers or college students, but are aimed mainly towards the older crowd. They are the ones with the money to spend and most importantly, limited time to search the internet for good deals and fair prices. However, if the recent success of companies like the ones mentioned above isn't proof that mountain biking can be affordable and lucrative at the same time then I don't know what is.

This was a rant I wanted to get out since I ended up getting worked up over this. I'd love to know your guys's thoughts on this. Do you think that mountain bikes as well as mountain bike parts are overpriced? Or are they fairly priced when considering their intended use?