A newly minted ppl hardly qualifies anyone to wear four gold bars
What then does qualify some one to wear four bars? A newly minted PPL flying in command, that is Captain of the aircraft, means that four stripes designate his role. India and Asia are two places where I know uniform and stripes ease dealings with the locals. If I saw a PPL decked out in uniform and stripes in a first world country I most certainly would look askance and think "******". Your own comment re abuse signifies the local attitude towards uniforms, they denote authority.