The Leisure Class

"The Leisure Class" is a concept from sociologist Thorstein Veblen, describing a social group that invests in non-productive activities like luxury and leisure to display wealth and status. Rather than working for necessity, they engage in consumption and social rituals that signal their social position, often emphasizing appearance and prestige over practicality or utility. This behavior reinforces social hierarchies and contributes to economic inequalities, highlighting how leisure and consumption serve as symbols of status within a society.