Conspicuous Consumption

Conspicuous consumption is the use of commodities and possessions to display and demonstrate financial and social standing. The concept of conspicuous consumption was coined, theorized, and popularized by Thorstein Veblen. An economist, sociologist, and a pioneer in the study of consumption, Veblen was a key figure in the development of sociology in America. The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899/1970) is his treatise on the effects and influence social and cultural change has on economic changes in society. In this work, Veblen demonstrates the increasing importance of money as a means to rank people, and as a measure of social standing. One of the first major contributions to the literature on consumption, this book provides the classical sociological account and analysis of conspicuous consumption. Veblen ...