Thorstein Veblen

In order to stand well in the eyes of the community, it is necessary to come up to a certain, somewhat indefinite, conventional standard of wealth.

— Thorstein Veblen

It is always sound business to take any obtainable net gain, at any cost and at any risk to the rest of the community.

— Thorstein Veblen

The basis on which good repute in any highly organized industrial community ultimately rests is pecuniary strength; and the means of showing pecuniary strength, and so of gaining or retaining a good name, are leisure and a conspicuous consumption of goods

— Thorstein Veblen