Dolores R. sent us this Saturday Morning Breakfast cartoon commenting on conspicuous consumption. The phenomenon is often described with things like Hummers and high-priced purses. The cartoon, though, suggests that intellectuals have their own breed of conspicuous consumption, even as they criticize the Hummer drivers: the conspicuous consumption of intellectual products, the more obscure and dense the better.
It reminds me of this hilarious clip from the sketch comedy show Portlandia in which friends end up in an inadvertent competition over who is more informed/has read more of the right stuff lately.
See also: conspicuous conservation.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 34
adamsonx — July 10, 2011
Yes, this is very common.
However, I'd hate to see others' pursuits for higher knowledge being accused as being this. Thinking that everyone is only interested in acquiring knowledge in order to be seen as more interesting/intelligent (instead of for the intrinsic value) can be regressive.
Annie — July 10, 2011
I don't see how buying books to read is at all equivalent to buying bric-a-brac. Sure, some people buy books to make their homes look good, but that's not what this cartoon is about. In fact, I would say it is the job of academics to read, even obscure material, so that they can be more informed. Short of some devastating head injury, what I feed my brain permanently grows me. So, as much as I enjoy the guilt that comes with priviledge, I'm not willing to feel it over my love of books.
$ocraTTTe$ — July 10, 2011
Every time I watch Portlandia I immediately think of this blog and the people who comment on it.
Aoirthoir An Broc — July 10, 2011
Best post ever! Back when I used to be a lab rat (yes I was) there'd always be someone else who was also lab ratting, critiquing the fact that I did it on a fairly regular basis whilst they were doing it "just this once" (and of course I'd always seem them on future studies). In any case these two students were doing just like in the video. So finally I told them, stiffling my laughter with great effort, that books were for lazy people and movies were for the intellects. Cause movies involve you. Like reading Jurassic Park I was never afraid but SEEING Dino-Rex chasing after the jeep? I screamed like an aoirthoir.
David K — July 10, 2011
It took you till 2011 to realise this? ;-)
Anonymous — July 10, 2011
Meh, even if you hate intellectual wankery, this is a false equivalence. Buying things and reading literature are not at all the same.
Anonymous — July 10, 2011
I'm going to embrace this stereotype. Look at how happy geeks are now that they've become mainstream. BTW, I hate The New Yorker.
e h — July 10, 2011
I figured this was pretty obvious to anyone who lives it, though I might be wrong. My husband and I, for instance, will sneer at people we know who live in the suburbs and drive everywhere, but if we're honest to ourselves, we aspire to live in what used to be the suburbs, and we drive everywhere too - the difference is really not as big as we like to think it is.
However, acquiring knowledge or experiences to impress one's friends seems far superior to me than acquiring objects to impress one's friends. I can only get so much out of the latest gadget, but I can always revisit ideas and memories in a new way, and use them to both grow as a person and connect with people around me. But I suppose it all depends on what you think is important in life; I'm sure there are plenty of people who would rather have that latest gadget instead.
Miss Disco — July 11, 2011
Yeah, but the reasons the author i'm studying is so obscure is because of the bloody gender bias that means the women's writing sank into obscurity and now no one can find it to read. Especially if the British Library won't loan it to you, and expects £26.50 for an effffing photocopy.
I'm not spending my phD writing some theory on how Shakespeare predicted the twin towers!
Don — July 11, 2011
That last line in the cartoon brings this song to mind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-kHB2fWUS8
"sensitive artist" by king missile
Captain Pasty — July 17, 2011
That's Carrie Brownstein! The lead guitarist from Sleater-Kinney. They were somewhat part of the Riot Grrrl movement of the 90's. She's and Fred Armisen also did some funny skits under the name ThunderAnt. My favourite is the Feminist Bookstore:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly0ZkwpeUjI
It's AMAZING.
Anonymous — July 22, 2011
Insert comment in which I simultaneously decry the topic while subtly hinting that of course it doesn't apply to me.
Tj — August 2, 2011
Though some people do consume books for social status, it's unfair to also accuse those as being pretentious who read to better themselves and their minds. This reminds me some creative people who are called hipsters because they happen to be into artistic pursuits or because they happen to appear different from the norm. also, let me put it this way: one person appears pretentious and the other is intelligent . Which of these are not like the other?
northierthanthou — October 8, 2012
Lol, that is amusing.