Conspicuous Consumption an Analysis of Class, Family, and...

Conspicuous Consumption: An Analysis of Class, Family, and Spending Habits The topic I will explore in this paper is conspicuous consumption, and its relationship to our present day class system. Merriam-Webster defines conspicuous consumption as follows: lavish or wasteful spending thought to enhance social prestige. After reading the definition, there were a number of factors that made me immediately drawn to this topic. Naturally, many of the issues pertaining to the family deals primarily on person to person relationships (e.g. diversity in couples, divorce, the consequences of gender roles, etc.), yet this issue seemed to provide a different angle on the problems evident in modern day families (as well as their dynamics). I†¦show more content†¦how they are taught culture) that is predominantly responsible for this perceived stratification. For this reason, the theme of family was a main influence when conducting my interview. The third and last predominant theme in conducting my interviews is that of â€Å"face† and perception, and what it means to consumer society and the so-called â€Å"luxury fever†. In Robert H. Frank’s book â€Å"Luxury Fever†4, he explains how the nation is being bombarded with a flurry of marketing of similar â€Å"luxury† products, as well as a titanic increase in the average cost of them. In my opinion, this is a strategic play on the perceptions of the leisure class, so that they are apt to spend more money. In an excerpt from â€Å"luxury fever†, Frank illustrates this dramatic increase of price with the example of the company Vikings’ line of â€Å"professional grills†. By pricing their foremost model at an absurd five thousand dollars, they not onlyShow MoreRelatedPersonal Note On Saving Money2847 Words   |  12 Pagesdo not have the money in their account to pay their bills. This leads to debt and can have an impact o n your credit, which follows you in life. 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