Theleisurerenderedbythewifeinsuchcasesis，ofcourse，notasimplemanifestationofidlenessorindolence。Italmostinvariablyoccursdisguisedundersomeformofworkorhouseholddutiesorsocialamenities，whichproveonanalysistoservelittleornoulteriorendbeyondshowingthatshedoesnotoccupyherselfwithanythingthatisgainfulorthatisofsubstantialuse。Ashasalreadybeennoticedundertheheadofmanners，thegreaterpartofthecustomaryroundofdomesticcarestowhichthemiddle-classhousewifegiveshertimeandeffortisofthischaracter。Notthattheresultsofherattentiontohouseholdmatters，ofadecorativeandmundificatorycharacter，arenotpleasingtothesenseofmentrainedinmiddle-classproprieties；butthetastetowhichtheseeffectsofhouseholdadornmentandtidinessappealisatastewhichhasbeenformedundertheselectiveguidanceofacanonofproprietythatdemandsjusttheseevidencesofwastedeffort。Theeffectsarepleasingtouschieflybecausewehavebeentaughttofindthempleasing。Theregoesintothesedomesticdutiesmuchsolicitudeforapropercombinationofformandcolor，andforotherendsthataretobeclassedasaestheticinthepropersenseoftheterm；anditisnotdeniedthateffectshavingsomesubstantialaestheticvaluearesometimesattained。Prettymuchallthatishereinsistedonisthat，asregardstheseamenitiesoflife，thehousewife’seffortsareundertheguidanceoftraditionsthathavebeenshapedbythelawofconspicuouslywastefulexpenditureoftimeandsubstance。Ifbeautyorcomfortisachieved-anditisamoreorlessfortuitouscircumstanceiftheyare-theymustbeachievedbymeansandmethodsthatcommendthemselvestothegreateconomiclawofwastedeffort。Themorereputable，“presentable“portionofmiddle-classhouseholdparaphernaliaare，ontheonehand，itemsofconspicuousconsumption，andontheotherhand，apparatusforputtinginevidencethevicariousleisurerenderedbythehousewife。
　　Therequirementofvicariousconsumptionatthehandsofthewifecontinuesinforceevenatalowerpointinthepecuniaryscalethantherequirementofvicariousleisure。Atapointbelowwhichlittleifanypretenseofwastedeffort，inceremonialcleannessandthelike，isobservable，andwherethereisassuredlynoconsciousattemptatostensibleleisure，decencystillrequiresthewifetoconsumesomegoodsconspicuouslyforthereputabilityofthehouseholdanditshead。Sothat，asthelatter-dayoutcomeofthisevolutionofanarchaicinstitution，thewife，whowasattheoutsetthedrudgeandchatteloftheman，bothinfactandintheory——theproducerofgoodsforhimtoconsume——hasbecometheceremonialconsumerofgoodswhichheproduces。Butshestillquiteunmistakablyremainshischattelintheory；forthehabitualrenderingofvicariousleisureandconsumptionistheabidingmarkoftheunfreeservant。
　　Thisvicariousconsumptionpracticedbythehouseholdofthemiddleandlowerclassescannotbecountedasadirectexpressionoftheleisure-classschemeoflife，sincethehouseholdofthispecuniarygradedoesnotbelongwithintheleisureclass。Itisratherthattheleisure-classschemeoflifeherecomestoanexpressionatthesecondremove。Theleisureclassstandsattheheadofthesocialstructureinpointofreputability；anditsmanneroflifeanditsstandardsofworththereforeaffordthenormofreputabilityforthecommunity。Theobservanceofthesestandards，insomedegreeofapproximation，becomesincumbentuponallclasseslowerinthescale。Inmoderncivilizedcommunitiesthelinesofdemarcationbetweensocialclasseshavegrownvagueandtransient，andwhereverthishappensthenormofreputabilityimposedbytheupperclassextendsitscoerciveinfluencewithbutslighthindrancedownthroughthesocialstructuretotheloweststrata。Theresultisthatthemembersofeachstratumacceptastheiridealofdecencytheschemeoflifeinvogueinthenexthigherstratum，andbendtheirenergiestoliveuptothatideal。Onpainofforfeitingtheirgoodnameandtheirself-respectincaseoffailure，theymustconformtotheacceptedcode，atleastinappearance。
　　Thebasisonwhichgoodreputeinanyhighlyorganizedindustrialcommunityultimatelyrestsispecuniarystrength；andthemeansofshowingpecuniarystrength，andsoofgainingorretainingagoodname，areleisureandaconspicuousconsumptionofgoods。Accordingly，bothofthesemethodsareinvogueasfardownthescaleasitremainspossible；andinthelowerstratainwhichthetwomethodsareemployed，bothofficesareingreatpartdelegatedtothewifeandchildrenofthehousehold。Lowerstill，whereanydegreeofleisure，evenostensible，hasbecomeimpracticableforthewife，theconspicuousconsumptionofgoodsremainsandiscarriedonbythewifeandchildren。Themanofthehouseholdalsocandosomethinginthisdirection，andindeed，hecommonlydoes；butwithastilllowerdescentintothelevelsofindigence——alongthemarginoftheslums——theman，andpresentlyalsothechildren，virtuallyceasetoconsumevaluablegoodsforappearances，andthewomanremainsvirtuallythesoleexponentofthehousehold’specuniarydecency。Noclassofsociety，noteventhemostabjectlypoor，forgoesallcustomaryconspicuousconsumption。ThelastitemsofthiscategoryofconsumptionarenotgivenupexceptunderstresSofthedirestnecessity。Verymuchofsqualoranddiscomfortwillbeenduredbeforethelasttrinketorthelastpretenseofpecuniarydecencyisputaway。Thereisnoclassandnocountrythathasyieldedsoabjectlybeforethepressureofphysicalwantastodenythemselvesallgratificationofthishigherorspiritualneed。
　　Fromtheforegoingsurveyofthegrowthofconspicuousleisureandconsumption，itappearsthattheutilityofbothalikeforthepurposesofreputabilityliesintheelementofwastethatiscommontoboth。Intheonecaseitisawasteoftimeandeffort，intheotheritisawasteofgoods。Botharemethodsofdemonstratingthepossessionofwealth，andthetwoareconventionallyacceptedasequivalents。Thechoicebetweenthemisaquestionofadvertisingexpediencysimply，exceptsofarasitmaybeaffectedbyotherstandardsofpropriety，springingfromadifferentsource。Ongroundsofexpediencythepreferencemaybegiventotheoneortheotheratdifferentstagesoftheeconomicdevelopment。Thequestionis，whichofthetwomethodswillmosteffectivelyreachthepersonswhoseconvictionsitisdesiredtoaffect。Usagehasansweredthisquestionindifferentwaysunderdifferentcircumstances。
　　Solongasthecommunityorsocialgroupissmallenoughandcompactenoughtobeeffectuallyreachedbycommonnotorietyalonethatistosay，solongasthehumanenvironmenttowhichtheindividualisrequiredtoadapthimselfinrespectofreputabilityiscomprisedwithinhissphereofpersonalacquaintanceandneighborhoodgossip——solongtheonemethodisaboutaseffectiveastheother。Eachwillthereforeserveaboutequallywellduringtheearlierstagesofsocialgrowth。Butwhenthedifferentiationhasgonefartheranditbecomesnecessarytoreachawiderhumanenvironment，consumptionbeginstoholdoverleisureasanordinarymeansofdecency。Thisisespeciallytrueduringthelater，peaceableeconomicstage。Themeansofcommunicationandthemobilityofthepopulationnowexposetheindividualtotheobservationofmanypersonswhohavenoothermeansofjudgingofhisreputabilitythanthedisplayofgoodsandperhapsofbreedingwhichheisabletomakewhileheisundertheirdirectobservation。
　　Themodernorganizationofindustryworksinthesamedirectionalsobyanotherline。Theexigenciesofthemodernindustrialsystemfrequentlyplaceindividualsandhouseholdsinjuxtapositionbetweenwhomthereislittlecontactinanyothersensethanthatofjuxtaposition。One’sneighbors，mechanicallyspeaking，oftenaresociallynotone’sneighbors，orevenacquaintances；andstilltheirtransientgoodopinionhasahighdegreeofutility。Theonlypracticablemeansofimpressingone’specuniaryabilityontheseunsympatheticobserversofone’severydaylifeisanunremittingdemonstrationofabilitytopay。
　　Inthemoderncommunitythereisalsoamorefrequentattendanceatlargegatheringsofpeopletowhomone’severydaylifeisunknown；insuchplacesaschurches，theaters，ballrooms，hotels，parks，shops，andthelike。Inordertoimpressthesetransientobservers，andtoretainone’sself-complacencyundertheirobservation，thesignatureofone’specuniarystrengthshouldbewrittenincharacterswhichhewhorunsmayread。Itisevident，therefore，thatthepresenttrendofthedevelopmentisinthedirectionofheighteningtheutilityofconspicuousconsumptionascomparedwithleisure。
　　Itisalsonoticeablethattheserviceabilityofconsumptionasameansofrepute，aswellastheinsistenceonitasanelementofdecency，isatitsbestinthoseportionsofthecommunitywherethehumancontactoftheindividualiswidestandthemobilityofthepopulationisgreatest。Conspicuousconsumptionclaimsarelativelylargerportionoftheincomeoftheurbanthanoftheruralpopulation，andtheclaimisalsomoreimperative。Theresultisthat，inordertokeepupadecentappearance，theformerhabituallylivehand-to-mouthtoagreaterextentthanthelatter。Soitcomes，forinstance，thattheAmericanfarmerandhiswifeanddaughtersarenotoriouslylessmodishintheirdress，aswellaslessurbaneintheirmanners，thanthecityartisan’sfamilywithanequalincome。Itisnotthatthecitypopulationisbynaturemuchmoreeagerforthepeculiarcomplacencythatcomesofaconspicuousconsumption，norhastheruralpopulationlessregardforpecuniarydecency。Buttheprovocationtothislineofevidence，aswellasitstransienteffectiveness，ismoredecidedinthecity。Thismethodisthereforemorereadilyresortedto，andinthestruggletooutdooneanotherthecitypopulationpushtheirnormalstandardofconspicuousconsumptiontoahigherpoint，withtheresultthatarelativelygreaterexpenditureinthisdirectionisrequiredtoindicateagivendegreeofpecuniarydecencyinthecity。Therequirementofconformitytothishigherconventionalstandardbecomesmandatory。Thestandardofdecencyishigher，classforclass，andthisrequirementofdecentappearancemustbeliveduptoonpainoflosingcaste。
　　Consumptionbecomesalargerelementinthestandardoflivinginthecitythaninthecountry。AmongthecountrypopulationitsplaceistosomeextenttakenbysavingsandhomecomfortsknownthroughthemediumofneighborhoodgossipsufficientlytoservethelikegeneralpurposeofPecuniaryrepute。Thesehomecomfortsandtheleisureindulgedin——wheretheindulgenceisfound——areofcoursealsoingreatparttobeclassedasitemsofconspicuousconsumption；andmuchthesameistobesaidofthesavings。Thesmalleramountofthesavingslaidbybytheartisanclassisnodoubtdue，insomemeasure，tothefactthatinthecaseoftheartisanthesavingsarealesseffectivemeansofadvertisement，relativetotheenvironmentinwhichheisplaced，thanarethesavingsofthepeoplelivingonfarmsandinthesmallvillages。Amongthelatter，everybody’saffairs，especiallyeverybody’specuniarystatus，areknowntoeverybodyelse。Consideredbyitselfsimply——takeninthefirstdegree——thisaddedprovocationtowhichtheartisanandtheurbanlaboringclassesareexposedmaynotveryseriouslydecreasetheamountofsavings；butinitscumulativeaction，throughraisingthestandardofdecentexpenditure，itsdeterrenteffectonthetendencytosavecannotbutbeverygreat。
　　Afelicitousillustrationofthemannerinwhichthiscanonofreputabilityworksoutitsresultsisseeninthepracticeofdram-drinking，“treating，“andsmokinginpublicplaces，whichiscustomaryamongthelaborersandhandicraftsmenofthetowns，andamongthelowermiddleclassoftheurbanpopulationgenerallyJourneymenprintersmaybenamedasaclassamongwhomthisformofconspicuousconsumptionhasagreatvogue，andamongwhomitcarrieswithitcertainwell-markedconsequencesthatareoftendeprecated。Thepeculiarhabitsoftheclassinthisrespectarecommonlysetdowntosomekindofanill-definedmoraldeficiencywithwhichthisclassiscredited，ortoamorallydeleteriousinfluencewhichtheiroccupationissupposedtoexert，insomeunascertainableway，uponthemenemployedinit。Thestateofthecaseforthemenwhoworkinthecompositionandpressroomsofthecommonrunofprinting-housesmaybesummedupasfollows。
　　Skillacquiredinanyprinting-houseoranycityiseasilyturnedtoaccountinalmostanyotherhouseorcity；thatistosay，theinertiaduetospecialtrainingisslight。Also，thisoccupationrequiresmorethantheaverageofintelligenceandgeneralinformation，andthemenemployedinitarethereforeordinarilymorereadythanmanyotherstotakeadvantageofanyslightvariationinthedemandfortheirlaborfromoneplacetoanother。Theinertiaduetothehomefeelingisconsequentlyalsoslight。Atthesametimethewagesinthetradearehighenoughtomakemovementfromplacetoplacerelativelyeasy。Theresultisagreatmobilityofthelaboremployedinprinting；perhapsgreaterthaninanyotherequallywell-definedandconsiderablebodyofworkmen。Thesemenareconstantlythrownincontactwithnewgroupsofacquaintances，withwhomtherelationsestablishedaretransientorephemeral，butwhosegoodopinionisvaluednonethelessforthetimebeing。Thehumanproclivitytoostentation，reenforcedbysentimentsofgoodfellowship，leadsthemtospendfreelyinthosedirectionswhichwillbestservetheseneeds。
　　Hereaselsewhereprescriptionseizesuponthecustomassoonasitgainsavogue，andincorporatesitintheaccreditedstandardofdecency。Thenextstepistomakethisstandardofdecencythepointofdepartureforanewmoveinadvanceinthesamedirection——forthereisnomeritinsimplespiritlessconformitytoastandardofdissipationthatisliveduptoasamatterofcoursebyeveryoneinthetrade。