Consumer Report.

The theory of the leisure class is one that was many years in the making, before economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen wrote about it in his 1899 book. Stemming from the rise of the middle class (mereged from the enlightenment and two industrial revolutions), and in conjuntion with the emergence of the white collar worker, consicuous consumption is a idea that is very prevalent in our contemporary country. The white collar worker of today is a far cry from that of Veblen's time. At this point in history, the social gap that existed was large enough to fit the grand canyon. With this large separation came an increase in expendable income for the middle class worker. The concept of conspicuous consumption comes from superfluous spending on goods and services with the sole purpose to display wealth and income. Basically, conspicuous consumption came about as a means of better displaying social status, effectively separating this emerging middle class and white collar worker from the rest of the working class. Sounds familiar, no? In todays American culture, because we have such a high standard of living, it is much easier for people of thwe working class to display social status symbols through the aquiring of material goods. Many poeple sacrifice financial security and well being for the purpose of selfish materialism. Conspicous consumption was usually carried out by the wife of the worker (sounds familiar) with full consent of the husband. This also sounds similar to contemporary culture....just kidding.