Keeping up with the Joneses

I had a discussion with a friend today and our topic was: keeping up with the Joneses. And even though both of us are modest when it comes to material possessions, we concluded that it is necessary—for white-collar professionals at least—to maintain a certain socioeconomic image in front of their colleagues and clients.

This conclusion is inevitable because people, whether consciously or subconsciously, judge others based on the things they own. While this shortcut only provides a rough picture of an individual’s worth, sometimes it is the only source of information available.

For example, when we run into a college student who drives a Toyota Corolla, most of us will not think twice about his means of transportation because Corolla is a common model amongst college students. However, if a person’s job is associated with high discretionary income, choosing the same model will reflect poorly on her professional image. Why? Because our culture expects a successful professional to drive an expensive car, and not following the norm immediately raises the suspicion of ineptness (i.e., the person is not very good at what she does and does not make the same kind of money that her peers make).

Of course, this line of reasoning does not just apply to cars. It applies to many other things we own. And because the “perception” of success is so important, professionals who are modest by nature must learn to flaunt their wealth in appropriate circumstances. Sure, you don’t want to be a show-off, but you don’t want to lose the confidence of your colleagues and clients, either. Put another way, you don’t have to like the game, but you better know its rules.

—DesultoryT