Luxury belief
 | This article may document a neologism or protologism in such a manner as to promote it. (October 2023) |
A luxury belief is a belief held or espoused in order to signal that a person belongs to an elite class.[1]
Origin
The term is a neologism coined by social commentator Rob Henderson in 2019.[1] It was coined to describe a modern trend among affluent Americans to use their beliefs as a way to display their social status, but recognition of the phenomenon in sociology predates the term itself.[2]
Details
According to Henderson, luxury beliefs are ideas or values that confer status on the wealthy, but are not fully embraced or practiced by them. These beliefs are often expressed in a performative way, such as through social media posts or conspicuous consumption of products that signal virtue. The idea is that using luxury goods or positional goods to convey social status is no longer viable in a society where the value of physical goods has plummeted relative to incomes, and therefore certain beliefs take the place of physical markers of affluence.[3] These 'luxury beliefs' convey status for the rich. The poor cannot afford to adopt the same beliefs, because implementing them would impose unacceptable social or economic costs.[4]
For example, the belief that marriage and the nuclear family are no better than alternative family arrangements is often cited as a luxury belief.[5][1] In fact, intact families are predictive of positive childhood outcomes, and wealthy families are more likely to stay together, despite potentially espousing the contrary belief.
The term is usually used pejoratively, and critics of luxury beliefs argue that they are often hypocritical and insincere.
In October 2023, British Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed in a speech that support for the admission of irregular migrants to the United Kingdom is a luxury belief.[6]
See also
- Behavioral economics
- Commodity fetishism
- Conspicuous consumption
- Hype culture
- Luxury goods
- Signaling theory
- Virtue signalling
- Wealth effect
References
- ^ a b c Rob Henderson. "Luxury Beliefs Are the Latest Status Symbol for Rich Americans". NY Post.
- ^ Abelson, R. P. (1986). "Beliefs are like possessions". Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour. 16 (3): 223–250. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5914.1986.tb00078.x.
- ^ "U of T Socioeconomic Luxury Divide". The Varsity.
- ^ Mike McShane. "Dispatches from the Land of Luxury Beliefs". Forbes.
- ^ Patrick Parkinson (2022). "Marriage and Luxury Beliefs at the United Nations". Vol. 66, no. 1. Quadrant Magazine. p. 34-39.
- ^ "Braverman suggests support for immigration is a 'luxury belief' and claims 'hurricane' of mass migration is coming – as it happened". The Guardian. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.