How much of our human bonds are based on the goods and services that we have in common? Do some people become friends because they enjoy Pizza Hut instead of Papa John's? Or do we befriend certain people because they are trendy and fashionable? The items that we purchase are not simply goods that are necessities for subsistence; the goods that we purchase are indicators of lifestyle. The opulent class buy goods that indicate their stratum in the economic hierarchy, and the same applies for the not so opulent class. Regardless of class, what we buy sends signals to the rest of society, as to what our hobbies are, our favorite sports team, and whether we are punk rock or hip-hop. The Joneses makes the point how the fascination with material items can compromise the integrity of the bonds people form, and jeopardize the formation new bonds.
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