LSR 2110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Thorstein Veblen, Conspicuous Leisure, Conspicuous Consumption

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Leisure Studies
• Course: LSR 2110
• Professor: Paul Heizman

Document Summary

Sense of the unworthiness of productive work (work is seen as beneath them bcz they have money: 2. It leads to conspicuous consumption & conspicuous leisure. Ppl engage in these activities so other people could see you doing it. Therefore: the wealthy class is identi ed by their posessions and their use of leisure. => this leads the lower class to trying to copy the wealthy class and this lead to a meaningless chase to display (to make it obv to others) your purchase & use of material goods. *note: vleben does not think this is pattern is not new. There actually is a surplus and not everyone needs to work. Theory still relevant today (upper class) & lower classes still imitate the rich. Stresses in uence of economic power (which is true) Many people want to be unique or diff. Explains why some ppl did not work. Explains why people engage in different activities.