Tagged: Veblen

Class & Stratification / Political & Economic Sociology / Sociology of Culture / Sociology of Media & Communication

Conspicuous or Inconspicuous Consumption?

by bmckernan Over one hundred years ago, noted sociologist Thorstein Veblen introduced the concept of “conspicuous consumption” to describe the lifestyle of members of the upper class who purchase goods and services not out of necessity but instead as indicators of their wealth and status. According to a recent Newsweek article, the era of conspicuous consumption may be placed on momentary hiatus as millions of Americans struggle to make ends meet. While the article should not be treated as a...

Political & Economic Sociology / Race & Ethnicity Studies / Science & Technology / Sociology of Culture

Perspective on Living in “Bad Times”

by rbobbitt Turn on the news on any given channel at any time during the day and more than likely you will hear something of the “hard times” befalling Americans as we continue to struggle through was has finally been recognized as a recession. As the holidays are upon us, pundits lament how holiday sales are down and people are modestly spending on one another. However, perhaps we Americans should be putting in perspective what we view as “tough times.”...