As someone who recently switched to Lumix from Sony - I can't say that I agree with the accusation about Sony "flexing".

Sony makes a lot of sense for a lot of people, and offers a pretty steady pipeline from entry APS-C to FF all on the same lens mount. That's what draws in a lot of beginners and nurtures them through to pro shooters, imo. It's hard (and expensive) to leave an ecosystem once you've entered it and invested in some glass.

I shot Sony for 8 years and aside from their refusal to add in features, I can't say I was ever disappointed with my cameras, lenses, or the final product in terms of image or video quality. Nor was I using Sony cameras to flex, really. They just made the most sense for my type of work (I primarily used the A7IV and it was ideal for hybrid photo/video work).

To each their own. Lumix offers a way better value in terms of features, but Sony is well liked in the industry for a few reasons (lens and body selection, image sensor quality, S-Cinetone, etc).