Accepted Quote by Thorstein Veblen
“The changing styles are the expression of a restless search for something which shall commend itself to our aesthetic sense; but as each innovation is subject to the selective action of the norm of conspicuous waste, the range within which innovation can take place is somewhat restricted. The innovation must not only be more beautiful, or perhaps oftener less offensive, than that which it displaces, but it must also come up to the accepted standard of expensiveness.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Theory of the Leisure Class, 1899
Innovation is shaped by aesthetic desires and costly standards, limiting truly novel designs.
In simple terms: Innovation is constrained by taste and cost.
Key Takeaway
Balance beauty with affordability.
Themes
economics
design
aesthetics
innovation
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
economic
When to use this quote
- product development
- marketing strategies
- design education
- budget planning
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
conspicuous consumption
normative standards
creative restriction
Questions to Reflect On
- How can creators break costly norms?
- What role does consumer taste play?
A Different Perspective
High costs can stifle groundbreaking ideas.
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
