Or perhaps the Veblenites.
Bryan Appleyard finds some Iranian special type peaches. They\’re great.
His enjoyment of them is reduced when he finds out that they are also sold in M&S.
Positional goods? Conspicuous consumption? Not quite the right descriptions, are they. Anyone got the right phrase to describe this?
“Being a foodponce” sums it up fairly accurately
How about “The My-Favourite-Indie-Band-That-Only-I-And-A-Few-Select-Others-Really-Appreciated-Has-Gone-Mainstream Effect”?
I think it’s called snobbery
“Desperate Snob”?
I know the shops – three in a row – and they’re owned by really nice people. They’ve been selling those peaches – which *are* exceptionally delicious although they look as if they’ve been sat on – for at least three years now.
What poor old Appleyard doesn’t seem to realise is that they’re now being sold in every other greengrocers stall and even non-posh grocery stores. Bad luck!
I think that conspicuous consumption is about right, if you extend it not just to be about showing how much money you have, but also how well connected/intelligent you are.
PretentiousPonceProvisioning.
PPP gets my vote.
Ever heard of irony?
Tim adds: Nope, never. What is it, some variation of brassy or tinny?
Very funny, actually. Someone born with a humour by-pass?