WHY WE CRAVE PRESTIGE

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WHY WE CRAVE PRESTIGE

• BY
• AMY HENDERSON

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HARRIS CONTENDS

• ALL HUMANS NEED
• LOVE
• AFFECTION

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HARRIS SELECTIVE PRINCIPAL

• LOVE AND AFFECTION IS SYNOMOUS WITH PRESTIGE
• PRESTIGE RAISES AN INDIVIDUALS LEVEL OF SECURITY
  AND HAPPINESS.
• WE CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF
  LOVE AND AFFECTION WE RECEIVE FROM OTHERS

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HARRIS STAND ON PRESTIGE

• THE DEFINITION OF WHO IS PRESTIGIOUS VARIES FROM
  CULTURE TO CULTURE

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PRESTIGIOUS BY WHAT DEFINITION?

• HUNTING AND GATHERING SOCIETIES VIEWED THE BEST
  HUNTERS TO BE PRESTIGIOUS

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DOES THIS DEFINITION SOUND MORE FAMILIAR?

• OUR SOCIETY ASSOCIATES PRESTIGE WITH WEALTH AND
  POWER

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ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON PRESTIGE

• THE NEED FOR PRESTIGE (LOVE AND AFFECTION) IS
  UNIVERSAL
• THIS NEED IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SOCIAL INEQUALITY
• IT IS ALSO THE GLUE THAT KEEPS AN INDIVIDUAL
  COMMITTED TO HIS SUBCULTURE

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THORSTEIN VEBLENS STAND ON PRESTIGE
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VEBLENS PRESTIGE

• CLAIMS WE CRAVE PRESTIGE BECAUSE
• WE HAVE AN INNATE NEED TO FEEL SUPERIOR
• WE PRACTICE CONSPICOUS CONSUMPTION
• WE VALUE MATERIAL GOODS HOPING IT WILL EMULATE US
  WITH THE SUPERIOR CLASS
• CATERS TO OUR DESIRE TO FEEL SUPERIOR
• SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED

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CONSPICOUS CONSUMPTION

• THIS BEHAVIOR TENDS TO BE
• FOOLISH
• WASTEFUL
• PAINFUL

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EXTREME EXAMPLE OF CONSPICOUS CONSUMPTION

• THE CHINESE PRACTICE OF FOOTBINDING
• RENDERS WOMEN UNFIT FOR WORK THUS LEADING TO
  MEMBERSHIP IN THE SUPERIOR CLASS.

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HARRIS VS. VEBLEN

• HARRIS DEFINES PRESTIGE AS LOVE AND AFFECTION-NOT
  SUPERIORITY
• WE SEEK PRESTIGE AND IT SERVES OUR SELF-ESTEEM
• VEBLEN FEELS OUR NEED IS TO FEEL SUPERIOR
• WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO ACHIEVE THIS
  FEELING

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VEBLENS PRESTIGE OR HARRIS?

• The !Kung, Semai, and Mehinacu offer a different
  perspective of emulation
• They belittle themselves to reassure all are
  equal
• They also downplay their accomplishments for the
  sake of equality

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HARRIS THEORY?

• THESE TRIBES DO NOT WANT A FEELING OF SUPERIORITY
• INSTEAD THEY ARE LOOKING FOR LOVE, AFFECTION,
  RESPECT, ADMIRATION

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THEREFORE, BY

• EXAMINING THESE TRIBES, IT IS APPARENT THAT
  HARRIS THEORY IS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR LIFESTYLE
• IF THEY WANTED SUPERIORITY, THEY WOULDNT
  DOWNPLAY THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.

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ANOTHER MANS CONTRIBUTION

• WALTER
• GOLDSCHMIDT

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COMPRABLE TO HARRIS?

• WE ACQUIRE PRESTIGE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
  OTHERS
• COMMUNITY
• PUBLIC
• WE WANT TO ADVERTISE OUR STATUS
• HIS VIEW APPEARS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH HARRIS