The first Tulips were brought over from Istanbul (then known as Constantinople) by a horticulturalist named Carolus Clusius in 1593.

But the scent, shape, and rarity of the flower soon caught on and quickly became a status symbol among wealthy Dutch residents.

As with any popular commodity, the price started to rise, giving way to all-out 'Tulip Mania' in Holland during the 1620s and 1630s, during which rare tulip bulbs could easily sell for thousands of dollars in today's money.

It seems extraordinary that anyone would pay so much for a tulip.

But I often think the same about so many assets across our modern financial system.

Consider Uber, the ride-sharing pioneer.

I like Uber and use it myself occasionally. But I'm astounded that people pay so much for shares of this privately-held company.

Based on financial results leaked last week, Uber lost at least $1.27 billion in the first half of 2016 alone. And they've lost roughly $4 billion in their seven-year history.