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Thorstein Veblen Quotes

Economist

Thorstein Veblen was an American economist known for his sociological perspective on economics and his critical analysis of economic theories. His work, 'The Theory of the Leisure Class,' had a profound impact on later economics and sociology.

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All Leisure Conspicuous Consumption Class Mean Aesthetic Goods Habit Waste Wealth Beautiful Business Community Consumption Effort Eye Individual Self Standards Use Apprehension

Famous Thorstein Veblen Quotes

“The superior excellence imputed to the book, which imitates the products of antique and obsolete processes, is conceived to be chiefly a superior utility in the aesthetic respect; but it is not unusual to find a well-bred book-lover insisting that the clumsier product is also more serviceable as a vehicle of printed speech.”

Wells Book Process Products Lovers Speech Excellence Superiors Unusual Aesthetic Vehicle Utility Printed Obsolete Antiques Insisting Book Lover

Book:A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

Source: A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

“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.”

Action Beautiful Subjects Fashion Style Expression Waste Standards Innovation Come Up Accepted Range Aesthetic Offensive Norm Restless Selective

Book:A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

Source: A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

“The aesthetic serviceability of objects of beauty is not greatly nor universally heightened by possession.”

Objects Possession Aesthetic

Book:A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

Source: A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

“The taste of the more recent accessions to the leisure class proper and of the middle and lower classes still requires a pecuniary beauty to supplement the aesthetic beauty, even in those objects which are primarily admired for the beauty that belongs to them as natural growths.”

Stills Growth Natural Class Middle Objects Taste Aesthetic Leisure Supplements Lower Class Aesthetic Beauty

Book:The Theory of the Leisure Class

Source: The Theory of the Leisure Class

“In aesthetic theory it might be extremely difficult, if not quite impracticable, to draw a line between the canon of classicism, or regard for the archaic, and the canon of beauty.”

Ifs Might Difficult Lines Theory Draws Regard Aesthetic Canon Classicism

Book:A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism

Source: A Veblen Treasury: From Leisure Class to War, Peace, and Capitalism