The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class - Tapa dura

Críticas

"There is a lot to learn here about the contemporary face of income inequality."--Publishers Weekly "A key companion to Robert Putnam's survey of dwindling US social mobility, Our Kids."--Barbara Kiser, Nature "The aspirational class gets a kick in the quinoa courtesy of Elizabeth Currid-Halkett's The Sum of Small Things."--Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair "Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, author of The Sum of Small Things, says a new cultural elite is on the rise: the aspirational class. These are people who aren't necessarily rich but who share a set of views on the most socially conscious ways to spend money... Currid-Halkett argues that they are driven primarily by an aspiration to be--or at least appear to be--'their version of better humans.' That's why, for this milieu, 'a $2 heirloom tomato purchased from a farmers' market is so symbolically weighty ... And a white Range Rover is not."Sarah Begley, Time

Contraportada

"The Sum of Small Things crackles with original insights about consumer goods and the individuals who choose them. Currid-Halkett's concepts of ‘the aspirational class' and ‘conspicuous production' advance consumption studies and provide fresh news about the search for distinction. Fast-paced, well-told, and unfailingly interesting, this book is an intellectual treat across the board."--Harvey Molotch, author of Against Security

"What are the status consumption habits of the twenty-first century? In The Sum of Small Things, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett blends social science and keen observation to present the new, best guide to this topic of never-ending interest, for the status-conscious in all of us."--Tyler Cowen, author of The Complacent Class

"'Organic', 'artisanal', 'boutique'--these are the catchwords of what has become, in Elizabeth Currid-Halkett's view, a new self-regarding social class, grounded less in money than in elite education, and inured to the problems of those less fortunate. This is a timely, original, and disquieting analysis of contemporary American society."--Richard A. Easterlin, University of Southern California

"Exploring how the consumer choices of today's ‘aspirational class’ express identity and values yet reinforce social exclusivity and economic status, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett’s lively book offers a thoroughly researched and fair-minded update to Veblen’s classic look at the leisure class. Eschewing mockery and polemics, The Sum of Small Things challenges readers to think hard about culture and consumption in a postscarcity economy."--Virginia Postrel, author of The Power of Glamour

"Just as Thorstein Veblen captured his time with the phrase ‘conspicuous consumption,' Elizabeth Currid-Halkett nails the contemporary rise of a subtler but no less materialist inconspicuous consumption. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand modern cities or culture today."--Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"This book takes readers on a tour of contemporary U.S. inequality--in particular the classes who occupy its highest strata—via characteristic patterns of consumption behavior. Revealing polarizing patterns of class behavior, this engaging and thought-provoking work will attract a substantial readership and generate discussion."—Leonard Nevarez, author of Pursuing Quality of Life