The Profile Interview: Author Rob Henderson on Why We Hold ‘Luxury Beliefs’ and Develop ‘Status Anxiety’

But today, because material goods have become a noisier signal of one’s social position and economic resources, the affluent have decoupled social status from goods, and re-attached it to beliefs.

Luxury beliefs are ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class, while often inflicting costs on the lower classes.

Luxury beliefs have, to a large extent, replaced luxury goods.

The chief purpose of luxury beliefs is to indicate the believer’s social class and education. When an affluent person expresses support for defunding the police, drug legalization, open borders, looting, or permissive sexual norms, or uses terms like white privilege, they are engaging in a status display. They are trying to tell you, “I am a member

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As traditional luxury goods, such as the iconic Louis Vuitton monogram bags or Chanel number 5, have become more widespread and attainable than in the past, the wealthy need alternative ways to signal their prestige and power.