Consumption and Mass Media
SOC105
November 14, 2013 Brent Muirhead, Ph.D
Consumption and Mass Media

Conspicuous Consumption was a definition introduced by Thorstein Veblen, an American-Norwegian sociologist and economist who published a book called “The theory of the Leisure Class” (Thorstein Veblen, 1899). He defined it as consumers who tend to purchase expensive things to exhibit their income and wealth rather than covering necessity needs of the consumer.
A consumer with flashy or flamboyant behavior desires to maintain a higher social status. Most groups who have a flashy consumer affect are influenced to emulate other flashy group behaviors. Such behavior according to Veblen’s theory is characterized a society of wasting time and money as a consumer. (Veblen 1900).
Thinking about a high priced vehicle my husband and I are considering to purchase in the very near future. That vehicle is the BMW 6 Series SUV Sport, fully loaded with all the bells and whistles, lifetime Satellite radio. Our conspicuous consumption is motivated by BMW’s high quality, style and engineered up- to-date high performance ability, not to mention the status quote to living in such an area where sixty percent (60%) of homeowners in the subdivision own a BMW 5 Series or higher. Historically, BMW has targeted the savvy, young and old educated, highly brand aware audiences. Germany as well as Japan is known for quality engineering and considered one of the safest cars. (BMW, “Made in Germany” 1916).

A theory of working class people who will try to live, behave and emulate the rich leisure class people idolizing them to their own detriment. (Thorstein Veblen ,1899). New research suggests that conspicuous leisure is on the rise since 2008 thru 2012. Aspirations to live leisurely in ways of ; Extended time off work; Taking exotic vacations; Purchasing vacation homes either on the beach or in the mountains and a favorite of mine, Freedom to work from home. (Luxury Institute, 2010). Mass media is in the business of perception, hope and gaining a wealthy attitude corporate titles suggest owning cars, a custom made large home, fine jewelry, name brand clothing, boats, cars, chauffeurs, fur coats, art collections and attending Ivy League colleges. Experiencing materialism and top rate good can be reflective of primarily private pleasures leading to aspirations to have more conspicuous leisure time. In society there is a human need to seek approval through visible and some invisible displays of our status are as primordial as ever.

Hessisches Volksfest (Hessian Folk Festival), 1887, Louis Toussaint (1826-1887), Öl auf Leinwand

Globalization is defined as values, meanings and ideas transmitted across international borders, which allows popular culture circulation to partake in societal relations outside the borders. The effect of globalization has been deeply consumed common cultures thru internet, Television, popular culture and international traveling. The influence of social relations is not merely observed thru materialism but, as shared knowledge amongst people associating collectively thru their cultural identities, therefore, interconnectedness increasing among different culture and populations. (Rosaldo, Renato (2002).

It has been conceived that cultural globalization has a human hybridization and integration, suggesting that mixing across cultural continents and regions could be detected back countless centuries and should be viewed as an historical process, referring to the movement of language, religious practices and popular culture which was brought by the Spanish colonization of America, which would contrasts with numerous sociologists and economists who have traced globalization of origins to capitalism, as well as innovation through technological advances. (Jan Nederveen Pieterse's, 2004).

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