Basking in Reflected Glory (Birging)

Definition

Basking in reflected glory, also known as BIRGing, refers to the tendency of individuals to associate themselves with the successful, the famous, or the celebrated. A baseball fan's use of the inclusive term we to describe the victory of his or her favorite team (as in “We won”) is an example of BIRGing. Mentioning that one has taken a class taught by a Nobel Prize winner is also an example of basking in reflected glory. Other examples include recounting the story of a chance encounter with a celebrity, such as sitting next [Page 104]to them on a plane or dining at the same restaurant, and mentioning that one is related to a famous politician or musician. Basking in reflected glory need not be limited to ...