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The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class Kindle Edition
How the leisure class has been replaced by a new elite, and how their consumer habits affect us all
In today’s world, the leisure class has been replaced by a new elite. Highly educated and defined by cultural capital rather than income bracket, these individuals earnestly buy organic, carry NPR tote bags, and breast-feed their babies. They care about discreet, inconspicuous consumption—like eating free-range chicken and heirloom tomatoes, wearing organic cotton shirts and TOMS shoes, and listening to the Serial podcast. They use their purchasing power to hire nannies and housekeepers, to cultivate their children’s growth, and to practice yoga and Pilates. In The Sum of Small Things, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett dubs this segment of society “the aspirational class” and discusses how, through deft decisions about education, health, parenting, and retirement, the aspirational class reproduces wealth and upward mobility, deepening the ever-wider class divide.
Exploring the rise of the aspirational class, Currid-Halkett considers how much has changed since the 1899 publication of Thorstein Veblen’s Theory of the Leisure Class. In that inflammatory classic, which coined the phrase “conspicuous consumption,” Veblen described upper-class frivolities: men who used walking sticks for show, and women who bought silver flatware despite the effectiveness of cheaper aluminum utensils. Now, Currid-Halkett argues, the power of material goods as symbols of social position has diminished due to their accessibility. As a result, the aspirational class has altered its consumer habits away from overt materialism to more subtle expenditures that reveal status and knowledge. And these transformations influence how we all make choices.
With a rich narrative and extensive interviews and research, The Sum of Small Things illustrates how cultural capital leads to lifestyle shifts and what this forecasts, not just for the aspirational class but for everyone.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPrinceton University Press
- Publication dateMay 15, 2017
- File size4.0 MB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Review
“The aspirational class gets a kick in the quinoa courtesy of Elizabeth Currid-Halkett’s The Sum of Small Things.”―Sloane Crosley, Vanity Fair
“[A] thorough book…. Currid-Halkett argues that the educated class establishes class barriers not through material consumption and wealth display but by establishing practices that can be accessed only by those who possess rarefied information.”―David Brooks, New York Times
“Currid-Halkett’s biting, often humorous commentary is not just a send up of the so-called ‘coastal elites.’ It’s a trenchant analysis that combines economic and sociological evidence to describe major trends.”―Dan Kopf, Quartz
From the Back Cover
"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
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B01MYNT9GW
- Publisher : Princeton University Press
- Accessibility : Learn more
- Publication date : May 15, 2017
- Edition : Reprint
- Language : English
- File size : 4.0 MB
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 261 pages
- ISBN-13 : 978-1400884698
- Page Flip : Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #931,358 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #347 in Sociology of Class
- #428 in Social Classes & Economic Disparity
- #1,121 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Author, speaker and researcher Elizabeth Currid-Halkett is the James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning and professor of public policy at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Her research focuses on the arts and culture and most recently, the American consumer economy.
She is the author of three books The Warhol Economy: How Fashion, Art and Music Drive New York City (Princeton University Press 2007), Starstruck: The Business of Celebrity (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010) and The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class (Princeton University Press 2017).
Currid-Halkett has spoken about her work to audiences at 92Y Tribeca, Google, Harvard University, Vanderbilt University, among others. Currid-Halkett’s work has been featured in numerous national and international media outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Salon, the Economist, the New Yorker, and the Times Literary Supplement.
She has contributed to a variety of academic and mainstream publications including the Journal of Economic Geography, Economic Development Quarterly, the Journal of the American Planning Association, the New York Times, and the Harvard Business Review. She is currently working on a project with the World Economic Forum looking at key issues in the contemporary global consumer economy.
Currid-Halkett received her PhD from Columbia University. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.
Website: http://elizabethcurridhalkett.com/
USC page: https://priceschool.usc.edu/elizabeth-currid/
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Customers find the book highly insightful and well-researched, describing it as a fascinating exploration of class dynamics. Moreover, the writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer noting it's written in elegant English. Additionally, customers consider it a must-read for those interested in marketing, and one review mentions it's entertaining for the farmers market set.
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Customers find the book readable and engaging, particularly noting it as a fascinating exploration of class dynamics and a must-read for those interested in marketing.
"...It get's a tad repetitive, but it's still an interesting read." Read more
"...The book is worth reading just to peruse those tables. I’m happy I bought it, basically...." Read more
"Really enjoyed this book...." Read more
"In general, I liked the book. The findings had much resonance with me. The research it was based on was sound, yet limited...." Read more
Customers find the writing of the book highly readable and masterful, with one customer noting it is written in elegant English.
"...Those chapters are given pride of place upfront; they are written in elegant English and filled with interesting anecdotes and observations that..." Read more
"...Despite its scientific rigor, this is a quick, fun and accessible read...." Read more
"...Funny statistical findings and narrative make it a pretty easy read." Read more
"...The writing is clear but at times mind-numbingly repetitive...." Read more
Customers find the book entertaining, with one mentioning it's particularly enjoyable for those interested in farmers markets.
"...Despite its scientific rigor, this is a quick, fun and accessible read...." Read more
"...with strong narratives and real life examples, making this an engaging and enjoyable read." Read more
"I loved this book. It's lively, readable and informative. I've recommended it to a lot of my friends." Read more
"Entertaining for the farmers market set..." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2017Format: KindleVerified PurchaseRemarkable: This is a book that manages to pull together a huge amount of data, analyze it and draw conclusions from it that are both insightful and yet highly readable. The trick of course is to separate the "boring stuff" - all those statistical tables that occupy a huge part of the book - from the chapters interpreting the results of the analysis. Those chapters are given pride of place upfront; they are written in elegant English and filled with interesting anecdotes and observations that enliven the discourse and brings it home. Many people will recognize themselves in this portrait of a new class in America, that the author has aptly named "the aspirational class".
The author often refers to Veblen's classic Theory of the Leisure Class, and rightly so. Veblen's book defined the Gilded Age, coining an unforgettable term for it: conspicuous consumption. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett's book is just as important for our times. It provides valuable insights that will make you understand what is happening to the middle class, and to the upper end of the middle class in particular. Not necessarily just the ultra rich, but more broadly, the well-off, those who have accumulated "cultural capital" (though that is something that only a good - and costly - education can give - yet such an education is not the exclusive monopoly of the ultra rich, families with middling income can manage it too).
In short, the author makes you realize that today, it is no longer conspicuous but "intangibles", or inconspicuous consumption, that are class-defining.
She argues that the new consumption patterns are "pernicious", that they ultimately will perpetuate and deepen class differences and inequality. Maybe. I am not convinced that is the case, because while some of the "consumption pattern" such as the investment in one's children's education might indeed lead to a continuation of the family in the upper reaches of society, other types of consumption have very different effects.
For example, the fallout from preferring fair-trade coffee, organic food (that is pesticide and hormone-free) or artisanal products is just huge: And it is already visible in the revival of American manufacture (after a decades-long downward trend due to globalization and automation), which is, everyone knows, essentially based on the growth of small businesses (under 20 employees). And of course this kind of demand also underpins artisanal activities and organic agriculture around the world...
These aspects however are not covered in the book, which makes sense: They are really beyond the scope of this (already large) volume of work. I am confident that the author will explore these aspects in another future work, she has already contributed deep insights in a recent paper prepared for the WEF (and available online). What we need now is a yet deeper look in this new class, which is essentially the tip of the iceberg, if you define the "iceberg" as the middle class itself. We need to know how it will evolve, will it get bigger? How will its tastes and "social consciousness" affect production in the US and abroad? These are all fascinating questions now that this book, with its brilliant definition of a new class, has opened the way for further investigation.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2021Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseI was happy with this book. It shed a lot of light on the cultural practices of different economic classes and the reasons behind why certain behaviors exist. There are plenty of examples that show not just what people are buying, but the social influences that accompany their economic peers. From t shirts, coffee companies, breast feeding, and clothing and make up, the author does a good job pulling back the curtain and showing the process behind these purchases and behaviors. You'll learn the thought process behind an entrepreneur who sells a five dollar cup of plain black coffee as well as the social factors that allow upper class mothers the freedom to chose between organic produce and processed food. It get's a tad repetitive, but it's still an interesting read.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2017Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseI’m not clear there’s a deeper message that goes with this book
The basic theme is that traditional conspicuous consumption has given its way to
1. “Inconspicuous consumption” on expensive “moats” from the riff-raff that only the rich can spot each other engaging in, with examples ranging from clear nail polish to Ivy League education and better healthcare.
2. “Conspicuous leisure” the poor cannot not dream of if they are to hold on to their less flexible jobs (example: breastfeeding, hitting the gym at lunchtime)
3. Purchasing the fruits of “conspicuous production,” as best exemplified by the movement toward “authentic products” that cost a fortune to make because they deliver on some parameter the consumer fixates on. For example, specialty coffee (as opposed to still very expensive Starbucks), fixed-gear bikes, vinyl records, mechanical wristwatches etc.
It’s never, not once, 100% clear if the author is bemoaning this change or merely documenting it as the current state of affairs. She does celebrate cities, however, and dedicates a chapter to them as the setting where these patterns of consumption were born.
She also draws a distinction between the old conspicuous consumption, which was entered into by a proudly idle leisure class and the new forms of 21st century conspicuous consumption: the latter is squeezed into the heavy schedule of the “meritocracy” that earned its money through work and is often aimed toward ensuring that the privilege is passed on to its children.
My summary of the book is as follows: the author and her PhD candidates have done TONS of work documenting consumption patterns of the 5 quintiles of the income distribution across time. The book is worth reading just to peruse those tables. I’m happy I bought it, basically. On the other hand, the analysis regarding the three “new” forms of consumption is a bit too facile for my taste. Rich people spend on all this stuff because they can. Period.
Some of them (the author included) also do so because they mistakenly believe their offspring will get to run the world, provided they can send them to Princeton. That last assumption is so naive, you have to laugh. Trust me, I’m Greek. I’ve seen this play out in real time and pretty it ain’t.
So my recommendation is the following: download the stats on which this book was based from the author’s sundry academic papers and reach for the work of Mark Greif. Greif does a ten times better job than Elizabeth Currid-Halkett of describing all these phenomena, for the simple reason that he does not sit on the fence; he truly hates all this baloney, as well he should.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2017Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseI am a doctor and mom who cares a lot about parenting and my job and I found The Sum of Small Thing's analysis of present day motherhood for the "aspirational class" fairly accurate. Our obsession with what our kids eat, their education and music lessons and the breastfeeding felt like a complete insight into my life! I live in Manhattan and we are dealing with the same issues and pressures as the moms in California. I liked that Currid-Halkett was not judgmental about anyone or anything. Instead she spends time trying to understand why we behave the way we do. Education and income are the leading indicators for breastfeeding which I did not know but makes sense when she talks about how hard it is to breastfeed if you have a hourly paying job. Lots of other interesting things but the chapter on motherhood was my favorite.
Top reviews from other countries
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ParisMotherReviewed in France on December 31, 2017
2.0 out of 5 stars Misses the point
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThere are some detailed descriptions of anecdotal examples of human behavioral trends in this book, but the analysis is missing the point. It is wrong to describe the sum of these trends as “conspicuous production” (as opposed to conspicuous consumption). Consumer society led to humans no longer making their own lives, as in the past, but buying their lives ready made. The real trend is the réalisation that deep satisfaction derived from the slow and careful creation of ones own life, and of observing other humans creating. Sure, it may be a luxury to have the time to breastfeed my child, but the only people concerned are me, my child and her father. It’s not about showing off or status but about our own feelings. Same as when I bake a cake.
- Dave AucklandReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseDr Currid-Halkett manages to do something very difficult in "The Sum of Small Things"; getting the balance right between readability and academic rigour. At the heart of the book is a deep analysis of the consumption habits of Americans, looking at differences between income cohorts and over time, and using this data set to make meaningful conclusions about inequality, the rise of "inconspicuous consumption", and what these trends might mean for both the US and the wider global economy. But she also manages to make the topic extremely interesting (and sometimes amusing); there is a high degree of self-awareness in her writing and this is a relevant read both for those who see much of the "aspirational class" in themselves and for anyone wanting to understand the more general economic trends behind this that will affect us all.
Overall I very much enjoyed this, and could see the thinking behind this being developed by Currid-Halkett in further ways in potential follow-ups; it would be interesting to dive into the public policy aspects of this in more detail, in particular with regard to Education.
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AlanReviewed in Brazil on March 2, 2018
4.0 out of 5 stars Eye opener
Format: KindleVerified PurchaseWhile at times the author sounds repetitive and you get lost in tables and charts, the overall idea the book tries to share with us is well worth the read.
It will make you reconsider many aspects of how and why you spend your money.
- Cliente AmazonReviewed in Italy on January 21, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Contenuti
Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseExcellent
- "der_genfer"Reviewed in Germany on December 8, 2019
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting findings, lacking conclusions
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseThe author shows convincing data about the gap between the elite and the rest of the population, but sound rather accusing of the rich who now, instead of investing into material elements (silver spoons, giant TVs, sports cars) now dare to invest into education and expensive food habits.
Personally I find investing into Yale, kale or breast feeding a good choice, and if this becomes aspirational for the broader population, earth is a better place than one where people aspire to drive around in 400hp sports cars.
Net - interesting facts, but no usable consclusions.
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