conspicuous consumption

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Definition

Noun: - The act of buying and using expensive goods and services publicly to display one's wealth and social status: It refers to purchasing luxury items not primarily for their utility but to signal economic power and achieve social prestige.

Usage

This term is used in social and economic discussions to describe and critique a specific consumer behavior pattern. It highlights the motivation behind a purchase rather than the purchase itself. - The luxury cars and designer clothes at the event were clear examples of conspicuous consumption. - Sociologists study conspicuous consumption as a driver of economic trends and social inequality.

Advanced Usage
  • As a sociological concept: The term is often used analytically to discuss consumer culture, social stratification, and economic signaling.
    • Thorstein Veblen's theory of the leisure class introduced the concept of conspicuous consumption.
  • In critical discourse: Used to critique materialism and the wastefulness associated with status-seeking.
    • The article criticized the era's conspicuous consumption amid widespread poverty.
Variants and Related Words
  • Conspicuous consumer (noun): A person who engages in conspicuous consumption.
    • He was known as a conspicuous consumer, always buying the latest gadgets.
  • Conspicuous (adjective): Clearly visible; attracting notice.
    • The logo was placed in a conspicuous location.
Synonyms
  • Status consumption: Buying goods to signal social standing.
  • Ostentatious consumption: Consumption that is showy and intended to attract attention.
  • Lavish spending: Spending money extravagantly.
Related Phrases
  • Keeping up with the Joneses: An idiom describing the effort to match the lifestyle and consumption of one's neighbors or peers, often leading to conspicuous consumption.
    • Their new pool was less about enjoyment and more about keeping up with the Joneses.
  • Veblen good: A type of luxury good for which demand increases as its price increases, often linked to conspicuous consumption.
    • Some high-end watches are considered Veblen goods.
Noun
  1. buying expensive services and products in order to flaunt your wealth