How has conspicuous consumption changed throughout the years of high school?

Question

Does everyone conspicuously consume?
- If not who doesnt?
What qualifies as conspicuous consumption?
- Must you be attempting to impress someone?
- If it's a personal choice, is it conspicuous consumption?
Why do people conspicuously consume?
- Does it get them success? Popularity?
- Does it work? Or do people get jealous/angry?
How has it changed over the years?
- What did our parents do?
- Do we do any of the same things?
- Why did it change?
- Has it made a difference in the way that we consume?
How does it affect our society?
- Do people feel compelled to conspicuously consume because of society? Because of the media?
- What lengths do people go to for the sake of conspicuous consumption?
+ Will they buy expensive things? Steal?
- What effect does it have on the minds of children?
+ Do they feel worse about themselves before or after the consumption?
+ Does this teach our kids good or bad life lessons?

Answer 1

Conspicuous consumption is simply when people purchase something not because they need it but because it increases their social status. In the past few decades, conspicuous consumption has gone up among high school students partly because companies are increasingly targeting minors in their advertising and partly because they are emulating super wealthy icons (especially in the music business) who have become increasingly interested in luxury goods over the past decade.

I think the increase in conspicuous consumption among high school students parallels the increase in conspicuous consumption in the general public. As the rich continue to get richer (as evidenced by the booming stock market that is attaining record highs in spite of the cost of living having actually gone up for the average American), their demand for luxury goods that separate them from the average American goes up. At the same time, because the ceiling on social status has gone up, the average American's conspicuous consumption of goods that were formerly considered a luxury has gone up as well.

Here are a few examples:
1. Manicures, pedicures, and expensive hair salons: Back in the 1980's, few high school students, and in fact, few people in general, got manicures or pedicures on a regular basis. Most people did their own nails, occasionally going in for a real manicures only on special occasions. These days, it seems like every other high school students considers salon-applied fake nails and polished toe nails an absolute essential. Likewise, back in the 80's, most people colored and permed their own hair, occasionally going to a salon to have a perm or highlights done only if they were making a big change. Presently, it is de rigueur for even high school students to go to expensive salons to have their hair cut and highlighted.

2. High-tech entertainment products and gadgets: As technology has increased, so has our demand for increasingly hi-tech goods. With adults purchasing big-screen t.v.'s, blackberries, sony 3's, and expensive laptops en masse, is it any wonder why high school students feel like they have to have their own cell phone, gaming system, and laptop, too?

3. Fashion: The fashion industry has embarked upon a new push to sell luxury fashion items at prices that are exponentially higher than what people would have paid for the same items a couple of decades ago. By spending more and more on advertising and branding, the most recognizable names in the fashion industry have broken away from mainstream fashion so that the ultra rich will feel compelled to spend extra money in order to break away from the mainstream public as well. Hence, a pair of leather shoes that might have sold for $90 in 1986 now sells for $900, and a pair that might have sold for $250 now sells for $5000. (Yes, I have seen shoes in Vogue that were priced at $9000 before. And no, they were not made of gold or lined with diamonds. They were leather shoes. Period.) As a result, both male and female celebrities are paying way more for luxury goods than they did in the past. And by extension, those who wish to emulate them are doing so, as well.

So how do people feel about conspicuous consumption? Fine, for the most part. If they want something badly enough, they will find a way to rationalize the cost. Plus, since wealthy people usually live in highly insulated communities, they don't really realize how extravagant their lifestyle is in comparison to the average Jo.

What effect does this have on our kids? A negative one, of course. It has a negative effect on us all in that we all feel like we have to have more in order to be considered average.

What can we do to teach our children a different ethic? Serve as a model of anti-conspiciuous consumption and purchase goods based on function and personal need rather than for the name written across the tag. Openly criticize and ridicule people who conspicuously consume: give a thumbs down to the Hummer driver, discuss how many children in Africa could have been fed with the money spent on a woman's handbag, discuss the manipulative advertising tactics of companies like Abercrombie and Fitch, and hang around with real people with real values. That way our children will learn to base their self-esteem on who they are and what they accomplish rather than what they can buy.

Answer 2

Clearly you have a doozie of a homework question

But here:

1) the relationship of material posessions to happiness is much like the relationship of Chocolate cake to happiness: once one obtains enough to provide for material need (ie hunger, shelter, clothing) they may be slightly happier with more but eventually one reaches the point where it no longer satisfies

2) Conspicuous consumption, though not a solely wesern phenomenon is taken to it's greastest and most grotesque degree in the US. For a counterbalance why don't you look to asetic religious communities

3) I would argue that contrary to common opinion, there is a backlash among the current generation to the materialism of the baby boomers, we see it has not made our parents happy and we are rapidly increasing our social awareness many more of us are doing everything from giving blood to volenteering overseas

4) People wind up trying to obtain material posessions primarily for the sake of social acceptability, and no it doesn't work because you can't fake class (it's a demeanor/ etiqette thing)

5) It is disgusting to be purchasing prada handbags or porches when there are little kids starving in Africa and wives beingbeaten in our neighborhoods and a complete deterioration of our eduaction syystems, especially in the cities and an AIDS epidemic-- this money could be going to any number of humanitarian causes

Have fun, get an A

Answer 3

Although I'm not in High school, I'm believe from what I heard sophomore & junior year people change the most. If you think about it after freshman year you know the ups and downs of highschool. And then with being a junior, you see the ways to get around class and work, who you should and shouldn't talk to, and what to expect. Also something to look foward. My cousin said all her friends got bitter after freshman year because of some things that happened or something? Btw I really like this question, it's really interesting :)

Answer 4

i have been browsing more than 3 hours today looking for answers to the same question, but I haven't found a more interesting debate like this. it is pretty worth enough for me.

Answer 5

Never gave this much thought

Answer 6

OMG! Take a breath!