Trickle-Down Luxuries
I'm sure at one time almost everything we enjoy, or take for granted, was considered a perk for those who had money. Having grown up overseas, there are many ordinary things whose ubiquity I almost haven't gotten over yet, such as air conditioning and carpet. I remember my mom telling me that most Americans owned a car, and many of them even had two. Two cars. What would you do with them?
But there are some luxuries that seem to have been an especial provenance of the rich, either quite recently or in the last few decades. Somehow something changes so they become available to a wider market--maybe they are mass-produced, or more companies cater to the desire. Something happens where suddenly the Joneses and you now have access to this thing. Maybe movies, books and magazines create public demand.
Are trickle-down luxuries a healthy trend? Maybe insofar as they energize the economy and buyers are not ratcheting up credit card debt for them, and feeling discontent without them. And insofar as they are not reckoned to be a "right." I think they have given us, maybe particularly the younger generations, extremely high expectations of life--to put it bluntly, spoiled us rotten. I'd be interested in your thoughts on this, Ricochet readers.
Meanwhile, here is my start of a list of items you used to have to be in the right circles to enjoy, but have become available to the masses as our quality of life has skyrocketed. I'd be curious to see what you would add to it, if you accept the premise:
1. Cruises: Almost everyone I know has been on a cruise. Astonishing. And it seems like cruise ships get more and more lavish.
2. Cellphones? It seems like in the early '90's, it was really impressive to own a huge, clunky mobile phone in your car. Remember in movies, when someone's phone would ring in their vehicle and it seemed so James Bond-ish? Now you're the odd one if you don't own a cell phone.
3. Spas and resorts: These are everywhere.
4. Exotic vacations: like to the Bahamas.
5. Meals at restaurants: I still happen to think going out to Olive Garden or TGI Friday's is an expensive treat. It's amazing that there are plenty of even more pricey venues that enjoy many customers, even in our troubled economy. When did this restaurant-frequenting by us ordinary folks start? And I've noticed in the last three years that restaurant meal prices have gone up--steeply. Yet every night of the week these places are busy.
6. Hot tubs: Not just expensive to buy, but with money to maintain needed, as well.
7. Expensive clothes and accessories: Handbags, shoes, and tank tops that cost hundreds of dollars.
8. Special sports: where participants crank up the price by purchasing extra special equipment, like skiing.
9. Perhaps gourmet cooking: with state-of-the-art tools and fine ingredients--plus lots of time to do it in.
10. Nice cars.
11. Home renovations: with big kitchens with granite countertops in which to hang those gourmet pots and pans, and expensive furniture and decor.
UPDATE: Tempus Fugit brought to mind another one that I had been thinking about the other day and forgot while writing this: home theaters. They used to boggle the mind. Now lots of us have big flat screens with sound systems. No big deal.
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Comments:
Jan '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I remember cell phone ownership exploding in the late 90's.
1) Cruises: really not that much of a luxury. When Carnival and a few others sell 4 night cruises for $350, including all your meals, that's quite doable.
Numbers 3,4,7,8,9, and 11 I'm going to have to disagree with you on. I don't think these are at the point of being accessible to the masses.
Nov '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Numbers 3,4,7,8,9, and 11 I'm going to have to disagree with you on. I don't think these are at the point of being accessible to the masses.
I dunno. These seem prevalent to me. For example, people I know, when they build new homes, spare no expense. There are so many luxury homes built (many of them stand empty out here . . . a few short-sighted contractors/builders). And the gourmet equipment is everywhere in stores. I think there is a strong inclination to live up to the lifestyle seen on the big/small screen.
Another example: I know quite a few ordinary people that have gone vacationing in Europe, Thailand, etc. A good percentage.
Edited on December 31, 2012 at 3:41amAug '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Never been on a cruise, spa, luxury resort or to an exotic location. I enjoy a hot tub at reasonable hotel when traveling. The most expensive piece of clothing I have ever purchased was my wedding gown and it was under $600. No granite counter tops, marble showers, or Italian tile in my house. My husband's vehicle is almost nine years old and mine is two years old. It's got a few more bells and whistles than the last one and the one before it. I went many a year without air-conditioning in my cars much less auto-locks and even power steering. No snow or water skiing, no power boats.
But we do dine out a couple times per week because we enjoy it. Dining out does not mean a lavish dinner prepared by celebrity chefs. It's just me and Mr. HOA visiting one our locally-owned restaurants.
Life is pretty simple at our house...good music, books, and fellowship with our church and friends. We don't need much.
Nov '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Sounds very nice, HoA.
Apr '12
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
2, 3 and 8 I'd say are more a "depends" thing.
My husband and I have a cellphone because, with all the BS around having a land line, it's cheaper. Of course, we're also on a family plan with several other family members, don't have smart phones, etc.
Spas sort of depend on the area and what you mean by spa; high end, sure. Basic ones, that's been common enough since before WWII, at least in Northern Cali around the hot springs. Think an updated sort of version of Roman baths, but G rated.
Skiing was the cheap sport when my dad was a kid-- his dad skied for the Army in Italy during WWII, and secondhand skis were as basic a purchase as winter boots. It just gets expensive when you're getting all specialized. (Simple wood skis, and they were still around-- and got used-- when I was a kid; cross-country is fun, though hard.)
I'm laughing at the gourmet cooking, because it seems to highlight something I've noticed... rich folks make a big deal of basic things, and spend a lot of money complicating them.
Nov '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I remember in the eighties when my one of my friend's parents had a car phone! Such luxury! Such sophistication!
Jul '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Foxfier:
.... rich folks make a big deal of basic things, and spend a lot of money complicating them. · 8 minutes ago
Ricochet's comment of the month, maybe year.
It's so rich and the shock wave is incalculable.
Try it:
"...[federal government] make[s] a big deal of basic things, and spend[s] a lot of money complicating them."
Apr '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
This is what is so nice about our country. There are no class barriers. People work hard and they achieve whatever they want. Unfortunately, this administration is emulating the European Socialist model. They pretend to be on the side of the middle class, but in reality they make it more difficult for the average person to succeed. The end result is a stratified society where the elete have the power, money and luxuries, and the masses have inferior education, medicine, and opportunity.
Nov '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Foxfier: Spas sort of depend on the area and what you mean by spa; high end, sure. Basic ones, that's been common enough since before WWII, at least in Northern Cali around the hot springs. Think an updated sort of version of Roman baths, but G rated.
Skiing was thecheapsport when my dad was a kid-- his dad skied for the Army in Italy during WWII, and secondhand skis were as basic a purchase as winter boots. It just gets expensive when you're getting all specialized. (Simple wood skis, and they were still around-- and got used-- whenIwas a kid; cross-country is fun, though hard.)
Thanks for the perspective, Foxfier. I guess I should have known this.
Aug '12
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
[Two cars. What would you do with them?]
Loved that.
Apr '12
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
sawatdeeka:
Thanks for the perspective, Foxfier. I guess I should have known this. · 10 minutes ago
*laughs* I keep trying to think of things that are only for rich folks, and the first thing that comes to mind is bicycles. *grin*
Reminds me of a riddle: what does a poor man throw a away, but a rich man carry in his pocket?
Boogers. Way back when and where, only rich folks used a kerchief.
Sep '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
sawatdeeka, your basic point rings true. People enjoy a much better standard of living today than in the past. Part of it is related to the improvement in the quality of goods that have been substituted. Hence the importance of the chained CPI. A good way to see how this works is to look at the value of money over the years according to various measures. At Measuring Worth, compare the CPI to measures such as the unskilled wage or production worker compensation. By almost any measure, people are way better off today than the CPI would suggest.
Anecdotally, you can see this in old movies. Watch a film from the 40s or 50s and see how people lived back then. It's not pretty.
Sep '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
Foxfier
*laughs* I keep trying to think of things that areonly for rich folks, and the first thing that comes to mind isbicycles. *grin*
I ride my bike most every day. Does that make me rich? ;)
Jul '12
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
How far back do you want to go for comparisons?
- Are you rich if you have your own phone line, rather than a party line? Or are you rich if you have your own phone that you can carry in your pocket?
- Are you rich if you can watch movies of your choice in your home? Don't we all have more available via the library or local rental or NetFlix than wealthy movie stars used to have in their oh so impressive home theatres?
- Are you rich if you have fruits and vegetables year-round? (George Washington had a hothouse for growing exotic fruit indoors. He was a rich man.)
- Are you rich if you don't have to feed the fire in the morning after banking the coals the night before?
- Are you rich if you routinely expect pregnancies to end with a live mother and children who live to adulthood?
- Are you rich if you own books (plural)?
- Are you rich if you can read?
Oh, yeah. I'm rich and I know it. Modern medicine, indoor plumbing, literacy and education for the masses... I'm rolling in it.
Dec '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I disagree with some of the list. Technology becomes cheaper with time, but labor less so. I would think most of the price of spas comes from labor, so they wouldn't be significantly more accessible.
The point holds true, though, and is why I have a big problem with all this hand wringing we do in America regarding the "poor". Recently, a survey came out showing that most of the bottom 20% (the poorest of the poor) had air-conditioners, dishwashers, and other relatively modern luxuries. But the idiots on the left still framed the issue as if these people were digging through trash cans for food.
I wager that in 50 years, 90+% of Americans will have a robot butler who can handle nearly all cleaning in the house, and we will still have a massive welfare net to take care of the "poor's" imagined lack of food, shelter, and plumbing.
Apr '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I am so buying a Rumba when I can scrounge up a few hundred dollars and move into a new appartment. I also think that stressing a fancy kitchen is not a luxury. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house. It should be large and well equiped. Large bed rooms are a waste of space. All you do in them is sleep...
Dec '12
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
The ultimate thing really rich people have, and the masses don't (and many don't even think of having): The Second Home.
I am a Wall Street Journal addict, and its readers are almost assumed to have more than one home, or be in the market for one if they don't have one.
One last comment: Instead of calling obesity an "epidemic", we should be celebrating it. Obesity is a disease of Prosperity. It's time to worry when we have an epidemic of under-weight.
Jul '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
The point has been made, sort of, above, but all you mention are really just a part of the standard of living. Ours has been moving upward for a long time.
A little known fact is that back in the Revolutionary Times, this country had the highest standard of living of any nation - the fruit of freedom and open markets. That is what drives innovation and the spread of products. It is the wealth creator of a nation. And everyone benefits when it is open and unfettered.
Mar '11
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I'll take issue with this. If we are right to call obesity a disease, we cannot celebrate diseases. Starvation and under-nourishment are both terrible, but a population that cannot control its appetite, of whatever kind, is vicious. A sound body ought to be the goal, properly nourished and not extreme either in its excesses nor in its wants.
Which sort of points us back in the direction of luxuries. It is a good thing, I think, that standard of living has risen--but it is not unambiguously good, for this same technology has also increased our capacity to destroy without fundamentally changing human nature. Luxury can breed an easy-going softness that will tolerate anything so as not to upset its digestion.
So, while we should cheer our improved material condition, we oughtn't let it overwhelm our attentiveness to the more eternal things which truly matter, and that begins with our awareness that it is not unambiguously good.
Sep '10
Re: Trickle-Down Luxuries
I think they have given us, maybe particularly the younger generations, extremely high expectations of life--to put it bluntly, spoiled us rotten. I'd be interested in your thoughts on this,...
Yes and no. No, because once you have these things, you realize they aren't any kind of answer - or even a luxury. How many hot tubs were used for a year and then abandoned? Why is it difficult to sell a house with a pool? My family now, finally, has a flat-screen like everyone else. Does my 14 year-old want to watch a movie? No, she wants to snap-chat with her friends - maybe that's a case of one technology supplanting another. Having these great phones comes with a downside, too. Is it really a luxury to be able to be reached by anyone at anytime for any reason? Sure, you can manage some of that, but not enough. Are there any more real vacations?
In part, luxury is having what other people don't have, so even when you are tired of the hot tub, your friends want to come over, and that's the only thing that makes it worthwhile.