Social critics use the status-competition framing to dismiss aesthetic innovations as 'empty improvements' and as an indictment of the market (e.g., the Rolex watch that tells time no better than a cheap watch but signals wealth).

factualpending

Speaker

Russ Roberts

Evidence Quote

you have this watch that costs thousands of dollars, you wear it on your wrist to show your uh competitors that you're you're really wealthy. And it doesn't tell time any better than the cheap ugly watch.

Source

Virginia Postrel on Style 11/27/2006EconTalk
Created: 6/17/2026, 10:31:39 AM

My Notes

Loading notes...