第22章 Chapter 4 Conspicuous Consumption(2)

This characterisation of the greater continence in the use of stimulants practised by the women of the reputable classes may seem an excessive refinement of logic at the expense of common sense. But facts within easy reach of any one who cares to know them go to say that the greater abstinence of women is in some part due to an imperative conventionality； and this conventionality is， in a general way， strongest where the patriarchal tradition -- the tradition that the woman is a chattel -- has retained its hold in greatest vigour. In a sense which has been greatly qualified in scope and rigour， but which has by no means lost its meaning even yet， this tradition says that the woman， being a chattel， should consume only what is necessary to her sustenance， -- except so far as her further consumption contributes to the comfort or the good repute of her master. The consumption of luxuries， in the true sense， is a consumption directed to the comfort of the consumer himself， and is， therefore， a mark of the master. Any such consumption by others can take place only on a basis of sufferance. In communities where the popular habits of thought have been profoundly shaped by the patriarchal tradition we may accordingly look for survivals of the tabu on luxuries at least to the extent of a conventional deprecation of their use by the unfree and dependent class. This is more particularly true as regards certain luxuries， the use of which by the dependent class would detract sensibly from the comfort or pleasure of their masters， or which are held to be of doubtful legitimacy on other grounds. In the apprehension of the great conservative middle class of Western civilisation the use of these various stimulants is obnoxious to at least one， if not both， of these objections； and it is a fact too significant to be passed over that it is precisely among these middle classes of the Germanic culture， with their strong surviving sense of the patriarchal proprieties， that the women are to the greatest extent subject to a qualified tabu on narcotics and alcoholic beverages. With many qualifications -- with more qualifications as the patriarchal tradition has gradually weakened -- the general rule is felt to be right and binding that women should consume only for the benefit of their masters. The objection of course presents itself that expenditure on women's dress and household paraphernalia is an obvious exception to this rule； but it will appear in the sequel that this exception is much more obvious than substantial.

During the earlier stages of economic development， consumption of goods without stint， especially consumption of the better grades of goods， -- ideally all consumption in excess of the subsistence minimum， -- pertains normally to the leisure class. This restriction tends to disappear， at least formally， after the later peaceable stage has been reached， with private ownership of goods and an industrial system based on wage labour or on the petty household economy. But during the earlier quasi猵eaceable stage， when so many of the traditions through which the institution of a leisure class has affected the economic life of later times were taking form and consistency， this principle has had the force of a conventional law. It has served as the norm to which consumption has tended to conform， and any appreciable departure from it is to be regarded as an aberrant form， sure to be eliminated sooner or later in the further course of development.

The quasi-peaceable gentleman of leisure， then， not only consumes of the staff of life beyond the minimum required for subsistence and physical efficiency， but his consumption also undergoes a specialisation as regards the quality of the goods consumed. He consumes freely and of the best， in food， drink， narcotics， shelter， services， ornaments， apparel， weapons and accoutrements， amusements， amulets， and idols or divinities. In the process of gradual amelioration which takes place in the articles of his consumption， the motive principle and proximate aim of innovation is no doubt the higher efficiency of the improved and more elaborate products for personal comfort and well-being. But that does not remain the sole purpose of their consumption. The canon of reputability is at hand and seizes upon such innovations as are， according to its standard， fit to survive. Since the consumption of these more excellent goods is an evidence of wealth， it becomes honorific； and conversely， the failure to consume in due quantity and quality becomes a mark of inferiority and demerit.