While reading something random some days back, I came across a mention of an economist who had propounded one of the most relevant concepts in sociology and economics.
This man’s name is Thorsten Veblen, trained at Yale, he wrote a book in the year 1899 in which he described three concepts which, I believe, have gripped our lives from all ends very tightly. Not only these concepts guide our actions they also shape the way we think, believe and even dream!!
The first one refers to the phenomenon where a social class of a person is defined by the kind of consumption that a person indulges into. The more the extravagance associated with the purchases, the higher the social class. He called it Conspicuous consumption. Remember that friend of yours who always flaunted the “Most expensive Mobile, bag, house, car etc.??
This concept was innocuous and healthy until it gave way to another dangerous phenomenon that Thorsten observed. It was “Pecuniary Emulation” it referred to people going beyond their means in order to emulate the consumption and consumer behaviour (You better get the difference between the two!!) of those who are considered to be belonging to the higher class in the society. After all who does not want to be talk of the town???
It is astonishing how brutally these concepts have eroded much of our sense of proportion and aesthetics. We now keep a constant scorecard of our success with material benchmark, which in Thorsten’s words is called, “Invidious comparison.”
It has been just a little over 100 years that these concepts have been identified and examined, yet they seem to be getting stronger and stronger in their application and grip over our minds.
Isn’t it???
PS: For better understanding of what I am saying, sell off the dictionary and buy yourself a nice mirror!!! It will work better.
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