I thought this piece from LSE was an interesting read:
http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2017/05/22/what-research-tells-us-about-the-avocado-toast-controversy/
My first, off-topic reaction to the article: I absolutely ADORE avocado toast (though I've never had it at a restaurant -- why would I pay someone to make that for me?), but the toast in that picture is just nasty looking.
Second thought: My students. My last-semester students really excelled in odd luxury-spending behaviors. A couple examples:
- Two sisters who came in with super-fancy new hairdos and nails ... immediately after having missed a week of school because they were evicted from their apartment and were getting settled in the homeless shelter.
- A girl who constantly missed school because she "had to work to help her family", yet when she did come to school she was always carrying a large Starbucks drink ... which she wasn't allowed to bring into the classroom. I told her multiple times that if she was going to buy the drinks, she should leave home 10 minute earlier so she could actually finish them before class.
- And the cell phones, oh, the cell phones. 100% of my senior students own a smart phone. If their service is cut off, they still carry the phone, and they PRETEND to use it.
You can also look at the powdered infant milk formula debate being marketed in developing countries. The issue is these countries do not have adequate access to clean water but such is the status pressure that poor mothers BUY formula because they want the best yet they could breastfeed their kids for free. As a result, the babies get sick because of dirty water. .
Was this a desire for status, or did they mistakenly believe the formula was better for their kids?
I know that when I was born the doctor pushed my mother towards formula, saying it was the best for me ... but she literally couldn't afford it, so she didn't. It wasn't a healthful choice on her part -- it was what was possible. When she had my sister, the same doctor told her, "You wouldn't take my advice with the first one, but surely you're better off financially and can afford to give this child better."
Yea, you're definitely over estimating your privilege on this one. Plenty of white males are read as poor/underclass. It's definitely takes minimal effort to present at least an indeterminate status as a white male, but there are plenty of visible markers of the underclass that apply to white males also.
I don't buy into all this "privilege" stuff, but -- yeah -- plenty of white males are visibly poor /underclass. If you saw my cousin, you'd instantly recognize him as poor or working poor:
- His deep farmer's tan and super-short haircut are keys that he works outside -- a laborer.
- He wears jeans or khaki shorts and plain tees and always a ball cap; but his are clearly very old -- always wrinkly, sometimes with holes or stains.
- He's missing a couple teeth.
- He smokes, and even if you don't see him smoking, he reeks.
- His general health seems poor for his late-30s age.
- His grammar is poor, indicating that his education is lacking.
On the other hand, if you saw my husband after he's been working in the yard, he might be dressed in the very same manner, but he doesn't come off the same way. Even if you'd just me him, he'd give you the impression that he's a professional who -- for the moment -- is dressed poorly. His mannerism and speech are eons ahead of my cousin's.