The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class - Paperback

by Elizabeth Currid-Halkett (Author)

In today's world, the leisure class has been replaced by a new elite. Highly educated and defined by cultural capital rather than income bracket, these individuals earnestly buy organic, carry canvas tote bags, and breast-feed their babies. They care about discreet, inconspicuous consumption--like eating free-range chicken and heirloom tomatoes, wearing organic cotton shirts and TOMS shoes, and listening to the latest podcast. They use their purchasing power to hire nannies and housekeepers, to cultivate their children's growth, and to practice yoga and Pilates. In The Sum of Small Things, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett dubs this new elite "the aspirational class" and discusses how, through deft decisions about education, health, parenting, and retirement, they reproduce wealth and upward mobility, deepening the ever-wider class divide. With a rich narrative and extensive interviews and research, The Sum of Small Things illustrates how cultural capital leads to lifestyle shifts and examines what these changes will mean for everyone.

Back Jacket

"The Sum of Small Things crackles with original insights about consumer goods and the individuals who choose them. Currid-Halkett's concepts of 'the aspirational class' and 'conspicuous production' advance consumption studies and provide fresh news about the search for distinction. Fast-paced, well-told, and unfailingly interesting, this book is an intellectual treat across the board."--Harvey Molotch, author of Against Security

"What are the status consumption habits of the twenty-first century? In The Sum of Small Things, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett blends social science and keen observation to present the new, best guide to this topic of never-ending interest, for the status-conscious in all of us."--Tyler Cowen, author of The Complacent Class

"'Organic', 'artisanal', 'boutique'--these are the catchwords of what has become, in Elizabeth Currid-Halkett's view, a new self-regarding social class, grounded less in money than in elite education, and inured to the problems of those less fortunate. This is a timely, original, and disquieting analysis of contemporary American society."--Richard A. Easterlin, University of Southern California

"Exploring how the consumer choices of today's 'aspirational class' express identity and values yet reinforce social exclusivity and economic status, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett's lively book offers a thoroughly researched and fair-minded update to Veblen's classic look at the leisure class. Eschewing mockery and polemics, The Sum of Small Things challenges readers to think hard about culture and consumption in a postscarcity economy."--Virginia Postrel, author of The Power of Glamour

"Just as Thorstein Veblen captured his time with the phrase 'conspicuous consumption, ' Elizabeth Currid-Halkett nails the contemporary rise of a subtler but no less materialist inconspicuous consumption. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand modern cities or culture today."--Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"This book takes readers on a tour of contemporary U.S. inequality--in particular the classes who occupy its highest strata--via characteristic patterns of consumption behavior. Revealing polarizing patterns of class behavior, this engaging and thought-provoking work will attract a substantial readership and generate discussion."--Leonard Nevarez, author of Pursuing Quality of Life

Author Biography

Elizabeth Currid-Halkett is the James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning and professor of public policy at the University of Southern California.