Contemporary consumer potlatches Making sense of conspicuous consumption

This article documents rituals of ostentation among the rich, challenging a common sociological view that elites exhibit restraint in their consumption habits. By reviving the sociology of excess, this paper maps the pleasures of economic domination. I develop the concept of contemporary consumer potlatches – ritualized events that allow elites to display and even destroy their wealth as they seek recognition among each other, while normalizing and celebrating inequality. Through a review of qualitative studies and ethnographic observations of global VIP parties, the article identifies three key elements of consumer potlatches: the display of women’s bodies, spatial arrangements that mirror power hierarchies, and scripted ceremonies of wealth destruction. Such rituals create experiences for elites that can be commercialized for those who aspire to join the ranks of the rich.