--- title: "4 Consumption Quotes By Thorstein Veblen" description: "4 Consumption quotes by Thorstein Veblen. Plus more from Thorstein Veblen and more Consumption sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/thorstein-veblen-10833_conspicuous-consumpt_conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-good_1209469.jpg" --- > [Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-goods-is-a-means-of-reputability/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/thorstein-veblen-10833_conspicuous-consumpt_conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-good_1209469.jpg) > [The quasi-peaceable gentleman of leisure, then, not only consumes of the staff of life beyond the minimum required for subsistence and physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-quasi-peaceable-gentleman-of-leisure-then-not-only-consumes-of/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a0/thorstein-veblen-10833_amulets_the-quasi-peaceable-gentleman-of-leisure_1257592.jpg) > [The basis on which good repute in any highly organized industrial community ultimately rests is pecuniary strength; and the means of showing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-basis-on-which-good-repute-in-any-highly-organized-industrial/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/thorstein-veblen-10833_community_the-basis-on-which-good-repute-in-any-hi_1804862.jpg) > [In the rare cases where it occurs, a failure to increase one's visible consumption when the means for an increase are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/in-the-rare-cases-where-it-occurs-a-failure-to-increase-one-s-visible/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/904/thorstein-veblen-10833_apprehension_in-the-rare-cases-where-it-occurs-a-fail_2850211.jpg) ## Other authors on Consumption - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b012/author-ivan-illich-44962.jpg) Ivan Illich 9 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/ivan-illich/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-pope-francis-75890.jpg) Pope Francis 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/pope-francis/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-barbara-kingsolver-16355.jpg) Barbara Kingsolver 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/barbara-kingsolver/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-tim-jackson-90897.jpg) Tim Jackson 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/tim-jackson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b017/author-maurice-strong-65774.jpg) Maurice Strong 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/maurice-strong/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b016/author-ludwig-von-mises-61872.jpg) Ludwig von Mises 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/ludwig-von-mises/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-john-kenneth-galbraith-51720.jpg) John Kenneth Galbraith 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/john-kenneth-galbraith/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-john-holdren-51619.jpg) John Holdren 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/john-holdren/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-jeanbaptiste-say-48124.jpg) Jean-Baptiste Say 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/jean-baptiste-say/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b009/author-erich-fromm-33632.jpg) Erich Fromm 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/erich-fromm/) - [E. F. Schumacher 5 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/e-f-schumacher/) ## More by Thorstein Veblen > [Born in iniquity and conceived in sin, the spirit of nationalism has never ceased to bend human institutions to the service of dissension and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/born-in-iniquity-and-conceived-in-sin-the-spirit-of-nationalism-has/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [In aesthetic theory it might be extremely difficult, if not quite impracticable, to draw a line between the canon of classicism, or regard for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/in-aesthetic-theory-it-might-be-extremely-difficult-if-not-quite/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [The addiction to sports, therefore, in a peculiar degree marks an arrested development in man's moral nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-addiction-to-sports-therefore-in-a-peculiar-degree-marks-an/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [A protective tariff is a typical conspiracy in restraint of trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/a-protective-tariff-is-a-typical-conspiracy-in-restraint-of-trade/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [It is much more difficult to recede from a scale of expenditure once adopted than it is to extend the accustomed scale in response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/it-is-much-more-difficult-to-recede-from-a-scale-of-expenditure-once/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [A standard of living is of the nature of habit. ...it acts almost solely to prevent recession from a scale of conspicuous expenditure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/a-standard-of-living-is-of-the-nature-of-habit-it-acts-almost-solely/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [With the exception of the instinct of self-preservation, the propensity for emulation is probably the strongest and most alert and persistent of the economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/with-the-exception-of-the-instinct-of-self-preservation-the/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [It frequently happens that an element of the standard of living which set out with being primarily wasteful, ends with becoming, in the apprehension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/it-frequently-happens-that-an-element-of-the-standard-of-living-which/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [All business sagacity reduces itself in the last analysis to judicious use of sabotage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/all-business-sagacity-reduces-itself-in-the-last-analysis-to/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [“She lives with man on terms of equality, knows nothing of that relation of status which is the ancient basis of all distinctions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/she-lives-with-man-on-terms-of-equality-knows-nothing-of-that/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [The thief or swindler who has gained great wealth by his delinquency has a better chance than the small thief of escaping the rigorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-thief-or-swindler-who-has-gained-great-wealth-by-his-delinquency/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [The dog commends himself to our favor by affording play to our propensity for mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-dog-commends-himself-to-our-favor-by-affording-play-to-our/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [“The ceremonial differentiation of the dietary is best seen in the use of intoxicating beverages and narcotics. If these articles of consumption are costly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-ceremonial-differentiation-of-the-dietary-is-best-seen-in-the-use/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [The machine technology takes no cognizance of conventionally established rules of precedence; it knows neither manners nor breeding and can make no use of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/the-machine-technology-takes-no-cognizance-of-conventionally/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) > [Loud dress becomes offensive to people of taste, as evincing an undue desire to reach and impress the untrained sensibilities of the vulgar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/loud-dress-becomes-offensive-to-people-of-taste-as-evincing-an-undue/) [Thorstein Veblen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorstein-veblen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumption/thorstein-veblen/#itemlist", "name": "4 Consumption Quotes By Thorstein Veblen", "numberOfItems": 4, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thorstein Veblen" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorstein-veblen/conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-goods-is-a-means-of-reputability/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/thorstein-veblen-10833_conspicuous-consumpt_conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-good_1209469.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/thorstein-veblen-10833_conspicuous-consumpt_conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-good_1209469.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/thorstein-veblen-10833_conspicuous-consumpt_conspicuous-consumption-of-valuable-good_1209469.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Conspicuous consumption of valuable goods is a means of reputability to the gentleman of leisure.” — Thorstein Veblen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The quasi-peaceable gentleman of leisure, then, not only consumes of the staff of life beyond the minimum required for subsistence and physical efficiency, but his consumption also undergoes a specialisation as regards the quality of the goods consumed. 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