Status Symbols You Hate?

[jeffrey]

So, I was at a party the other night and this one guy was flashing his watch left and right to the point of being ridiculous. He obviously saw it as a status symbol and wanted everyone at the party to know what it was and how much it cost. I was just curious if there are any supposed "status symbols" that whenever you see them, you simply roll your eyes?

[bjl584]

A lot of people that I work with are into the status of the cars that they drive. Every couple years they keep buying new cars, and they love talking about all the options. It's annoying, but I have to smile because I know that their car payments are eating up most of their paycheck, while I continue to watch my investments grow.

[disneysteve]

SUVs, particulary the ridiculously large, insanely expensive ones. I'm sorry, but I don't care where you live or how many kids you have, there is no reason for anyone who isn't on the front lines in Iraq to be driving a Hummer. Escalades, Navigators and the like don't need to be on the road. Okay, maybe if you are towing a motor home or large boat, you need that power, but 99% of owners aren't doing that. They're just going to the supermarket, driving the kids to school or taking a family trip to the beach. I know numerous single people who own these vehicles. They don't need the space. They don't need the power. And most of them sure don't need the fuel bill that comes with them.

[kork13]

It's not the status symbols themselves that bother me, but if/when somebody flaunts it. If you can afford the really nice things, then fine -- enjoy them! But for someone to rub your nose in the fact that

I'll be honest, some of my friends do get status symbols of varying types... Cars, watches, boats, motorcycles, homes, and whatever else you may think of. They absolutely enjoy them, but in most all cases, their ego isn't tied up in those things.

I think that's the problem for people who constantly feel they have to show off their cool new toys... Their ego and self-worth are measured by the things they have. I'm grateful that my friends aren't that way -- we just go out and enjoy the boat!

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by kork13

It's not the status symbols themselves that bother me, but if/when somebody flaunts it. If you can afford the really nice things, then fine -- enjoy them!

I agree to a point. It is much more annoying when someone flaunts what they've got but the original question was what things just make us roll our eyes when we see them. I'd stick with my answer of monstrous SUVs. When I see them on the road, my response is just that. I don't know the person driving. They aren't flaunting anything. They're just driving. I just see no justifiable reason for those vehicles to exist. Having a ton of money doesn't, IMO, give you the right to do whatever you want in total disregard for others and the environment.

[kork13]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I agree to a point. It is much more annoying when someone flaunts what they've got but the original question was what things just make us roll our eyes when we see them. I'd stick with my answer of monstrous SUVs. When I see them on the road, my response is just that. I don't know the person driving. They aren't flaunting anything. They're just driving. I just see no justifiable reason for those vehicles to exist. Having a ton of money doesn't, IMO, give you the right to do whatever you want in total disregard for others and the environment.

hahaha okay, I have to agree -- I have the exact same response to some of those stupidly big trucks/SUV's. I guess I was thinking more at the level of person-to-person interactions. Good point.

[Ima saver]

Well, I drive a nice car but it is paid for.

[MonkeyMama]

No - not really.

I think this comes from a place of rolling my eyes at several status symbols of the past, but owning them now. So, I cut people a lot of slack. I Also think people think you are flaunting things when you aren't. That's what I see from the other side. People get really uncomfortable and defensive that we have a gardener, and make all sorts of comments about that, to my face. I often feel like, "Geez - we both really HATE doing yard work - so get over it already - it has nothing to do with YOU!" The irony is we always get a lot of judgement for some low cost luxury, anyway. Granite countertops and HDTVs? Sure, we have those. I find them VERY functional. Most people guess we spent 4 times as much as we did on these things. & if so what if we did, anyway, they are paid for and we use every single day. The judgement always comes from someone in debt up to their eyeballs, anyway. IT's like, society says "Plasma TV, Granite, Hired Help, BAD! $500/month car payment to eternity, GOOD!" I'll take the TV and the granite, thanks. MUCH cheaper.

But yeah, if someone was really obviously flashing ANY material item as some sort of status symbol, I would just roll my eyes - doesn't matter what it was. I think it's just more annoying when people get so wrapped up in their stuff.

I admit I will always think a Hummer has been a ridiculous thing though and hell would freeze over before I ever buy one of those. You got me there! That is just the extreme of the extreme. Most people I do know who have Hummers are single or childless, so that just makes it extra ridiculous. A Hummer to commute in? Seriously? SUVs, I don't have much opinion on - I have several friends/relatives with 4-6 kids who really had trouble finding a vehicle to fit their family in. A tree hugging relative traded in her Prius for a SUV when she had 3 kids under 3 - I am sure once the kids are all out of the carseats they may even go back to a sedan. But for a point in time there they didn't have much option, so I am not as judgemental on those as I used to be. I mean if SHE would feel like that was her only option - it speaks volumes. I think she ate a lot of crow buying that SUV, herself.

[PetMom]

Since dress codes have so relaxed to where people wear jeans a lot status had to be reinvented.

The ridiculous $300.00 jeans.

Then designer handbags have to be carried - $300.00 purses (in the 80's only the wealthy carried such expensive - adjusted for inflation - bags).

Now its shoes. I never used to hear of status symbol shoes, now we all know the names.

So department store jeans, Tarjet purse, and $30.00 flats are not admired by the status seekers.

I would splurge on good fitting athletic shoes as the cheaper brands just do not work for me.

[Mr Nice Guy]

I dont hate smartphones. I just hate that people think im some a** backwards person for not having one. So its like a reverse status symbol....i think. Im sure I will get one eventually but I can't justify the cost of one and paying for the data plan. I have a good setup right now and it works.

I can't really think of anything I hate. Different strokes for different folks.

As far as watches, I can see why people buy nice ones. A watch is something you wear EVERYDAY presumably for the rest of your life. For an article or accessory that gets daily use, I can see why people buy the highest of quality. Now deliberately showing it off is kinda lame, but I would a little bit if I had a rolex too!

[LuckyRobin]

Oh, those bluetooth things. I don't mind them in cars, but I absolutely hate it when someone is walking around with that stupid clip on their ear. It feels like, "Look at me, I'm so important I don't even have to put a phone up to my ear to talk." Sorry, you just look like a crazy person wandering around talking to yourself.

And Hummers. There is a Hummer in the parking lot most days at my daughter's high school. That has to be pure status because why else would you allow your child to drive your superdeduper expensive vehicle to school? Or perhaps even have bought it for the child?

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

No - not really.

I think this comes from a place of rolling my eyes at several status symbols of the past, but owning them now.

Very good point. What seems over the top when you are younger and poorer suddenly doesn't seem so over the top when you are a bit older and more well off. It's all relative.

IT's like, society says "Plasma TV, Granite, Hired Help, BAD!

I think one thing to keep in mind here is cost. When flat screen TVs first came out, they were horribly expensive, like pushing 10K for a large screen and well into the thousands for even a fairly average size screen. Plus, that was at a time when traditional tube TVs were still readily available. At that point, I absolutely considered the flat screen to be a big status symbol for most of the people buying them. They were a total luxury item.

Fast forward to now. You can get a good quality, decent size flat screen for a few hundred dollars and tube TVs no longer exist (or if they do, they are pretty hard to find and the options are quite limited). We bought our first flat screen a few months ago (26", very modest). So today, just having a flat screen isn't a status thing anymore. Of course, now it is the 60" HD 3-D TV that has become the status symbol.

The same is true of granite countertops. My cousin bought a new home in Florida this past year. It is not a McMansion but a fairly average size house in a 55+ community. There were many options for customizing the house including a choice of countertops but granite was the base choice. There was no lower option. Granite has become so common that they aren't even building today with laminate or cheaper stuff. Status symbols lose their status when everyone and anyone has the item.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

No - not really.

I think this comes from a place of rolling my eyes at several status symbols of the past, but owning them now. So, I cut people a lot of slack. I Also think people think you are flaunting things when you aren't. That's what I see from the other side. People get really uncomfortable and defensive that we have a gardener, and make all sorts of comments about that, to my face. I often feel like, "Geez - we both really HATE doing yard work - so get over it already - it has nothing to do with YOU!" The irony is we always get a lot of judgement for some low cost luxury, anyway. Granite countertops and HDTVs? Sure, we have those. I find them VERY functional. Most people guess we spent 4 times as much as we did on these things. & if so what if we did, anyway, they are paid for and we use every single day. The judgement always comes from someone in debt up to their eyeballs, anyway. IT's like, society says "Plasma TV, Granite, Hired Help, BAD! $500/month car payment to eternity, GOOD!" I'll take the TV and the granite, thanks. MUCH cheaper.

But yeah, if someone was really obviously flashing ANY material item as some sort of status symbol, I would just roll my eyes - doesn't matter what it was. I think it's just more annoying when people get so wrapped up in their stuff.

I admit I will always think a Hummer has been a ridiculous thing though and hell would freeze over before I ever buy one of those. You got me there! That is just the extreme of the extreme. Most people I do know who have Hummers are single or childless, so that just makes it extra ridiculous. A Hummer to commute in? Seriously? SUVs, I don't have much opinion on - I have several friends/relatives with 4-6 kids who really had trouble finding a vehicle to fit their family in. A tree hugging relative traded in her Prius for a SUV when she had 3 kids under 3 - I am sure once the kids are all out of the carseats they may even go back to a sedan. But for a point in time there they didn't have much option, so I am not as judgemental on those as I used to be. I mean if SHE would feel like that was her only option - it speaks volumes. I think she ate a lot of crow buying that SUV, herself.

Originally Posted by Mr Nice Guy

As far as watches, I can see why people buy nice ones. A watch is something you wear EVERYDAY presumably for the rest of your life. For an article or accessory that gets daily use, I can see why people buy the highest of quality.

I agree with your theory but status symbols rise well above that line of thinking. One does not need to spend over $10,000 to get a high quality watch that will last a lifetime. You can spend a fraction of that amount. I have a Seiko from the 80s that was $125 and is doing just fine, and still I get many compliments on it.

As for the smart phone, the regulars here know I really struggled with that decision. Now that I've had mine for nearly 2 years, I have to say it falls into your watch description as "an article or accessory that gets daily use". Not a day goes by - heck, barely an hour goes by - that I am not using that device for something. It is worth every penny it costs me.

[elessar78]

Wow, tough question.

I usually don't care because at the point you realize that that person is treating the object as a status symbol then a) I've lost a little bit of respect for that person and b)I find it laughable that they are so shallow.

Large diamond engagement rings. That would be eye-roll inducing for me because diamonds are practically worthless. They're assigned an arbitrary value by society based on the perception that they are rare, but they're so abundant that every man, woman, and child in America could have a coffee can full of diamonds. The man who about his wife a 2 karat engagement ring does not love his wife exponentially more than the man who bought his wife a half karat stone.

Expensive cars/SUVs are kinda dumb too, but I get it on some level. I love a finely engineered car that can fly and has nice accoutrements on the inside (leather, heated seats, nice audio system). But you can get these things in a Honda Accord, for example.

I think the MOST AWESOME STATUS SYMBOL WOULD BE...
A ticker mounted above your mantle (that looks like the National Debt Counter) that displays either your net worth or retirement account balance in real time. SUPER TACKY but not any more so than waving around a stupid watch... what is this? A rap video?

[moneybags]

Originally Posted by Mr Nice Guy

As far as watches, I can see why people buy nice ones. A watch is something you wear EVERYDAY presumably for the rest of your life. For an article or accessory that gets daily use, I can see why people buy the highest of quality. Now deliberately showing it off is kinda lame, but I would a little bit if I had a rolex too!

I used to wear a watch everyday until the batteries died on the ones I owned. I switched to using my phone to check the time. I am rarely without my phone, so it has worked out great...and I was addicted to wearing a watch.

[sandrark]

Originally Posted by LuckyRobin

Oh, those bluetooth things. I don't mind them in cars, but I absolutely hate it when someone is walking around with that stupid clip on their ear. It feels like, "Look at me, I'm so important I don't even have to put a phone up to my ear to talk." Sorry, you just look like a crazy person wandering around talking to yourself.

And Hummers. There is a Hummer in the parking lot most days at my daughter's high school. That has to be pure status because why else would you allow your child to drive your superdeduper expensive vehicle to school? Or perhaps even have bought it for the child?

Yes, these are mine too.

In regards to other items like SUVs, watches, smart phones, flat screen TVs...we have eventually succumbed to these. But we waited, and saved, and were not "early adopters" - so by the time we got them, they were...more ordinary. (And yes, we do tow our 8 year old jet skis, so having the towing power matters! But it's NOT a Hummer).

We each have one nice dress watch. We have a flat screen TV we bought in 2008, as a demo, out-of-box model. We got iPhones in July 2011, once Verizon came on board. I bought a luxury car after spinal surgery, with a 70% downpayment in cash, and a payment that is 4% of my salary.

My point is that we PLANNED for these things, SAVED for these things, and were CAREFUL in their selection. It wasn't a status choice - it was a conscious choice. That is the difference.

Sandi

[edg126]

It's laughable when I notice people using items that are high end or expensive but aren't using it for it's designed purpose, but has turned into a status symbol.

Like steve mentioned about the hummer if you aren't in iraq.

I see people wearing the $130 pair of shoes I wear for long distance running (I buy 2-3 pairs of the previous years model for about half that price at the beginning of the season). I see the same thing with other athletic apparrel too. Specially designed running jackets, most under armour clothing, oh, and pretty much all north face clothing for most people.

I like to flaunt my $25 timex when other flaunt their 2500 rolex. I use it as an alarm in the morning, on every run and swim, and as a timer when cooking. I just wish I could use it when SCUBA diving, but instead I found a $50 300m watch that works perfect for that.

[seen]

Originally Posted by Mr Nice Guy

I dont hate smartphones. I just hate that people think im some a** backwards person for not having one. So its like a reverse status symbol....i think.

100% agree. I don't have one either, but I'm constantly pestered by others to get one when I really don't need it. I don't need to be on the internet all the live long day, I can wait until I get to a terminal/laptop to do whatever I need to do.

Originally Posted by elessar78

I think the MOST AWESOME STATUS SYMBOL WOULD BE...
A ticker mounted above your mantle (that looks like the National Debt Counter) that displays either your net worth or retirement account balance in real time. SUPER TACKY but not any more so than waving around a stupid watch...

Did you ever see the movie "In Time"? They do exactly that, except your "worth" is mounted on your arm like a watch.

[cypher1]

If you really think about it, almost anything could be considered some sort of status symbol. Besides homes, cars, jewelry, phones, home theater, clothes. Recently I notice more people at parties bragging about their education/degrees, certifications, and careers. I don't mind asking what someone does for a living, but when they start comparing education, or bring up salaries, then I realize I'd rather watch paint dry than continue listening to them.

Honestly, I really don't care or give it much thought if someone drives a monster truck, carries a $600 handbag, wears 300 jeans, pays someone to mow their lawn or clean home, has a 100 haircut, or uses a 600 phone. If they can afford it, more power to them. That's their business. Some of us choose to travel, gamble, or pay more money certain items than the rest of us. I've splurged on home theater equipment, cars, tools, snow board equipment, etc.

As for flaunting it, that's just tacky. Then again I'm guilty of bragging about my sound system, a motor swap, paint job of a room, or replacing my water heater by myself. But at the same just being seen wearing or driving an item a lot of us are quick to judge their lifestyle. That kind of reminds me of when someone posted on this forum months back about wanting to buy a iPhone. A bunch of people immediately assumed the poster couldn't afford it, or shouldn't buy it because they felt it was too much for a cell phone (all a matter of perspective).

On the flipside I find jewelry, and a lot of big clothing names to be worthless, or seen as free advertisement. Smartphones are dang convenient at times, but I could live without one. A watch is a watch, and I can't complain on my Kenneth Cole Reaction for $25 on eBay 5 years ago. While I have a couple friends who put tens of thousands of dollars into their suspension alone for off roading, thats about .0001% of the rest of the US SUV owners. Like I said, to each their own for spending.

[photo]

Originally Posted by Mr Nice Guy

I dont hate smartphones. I just hate that people think im some a** backwards person for not having one. So its like a reverse status symbol....i think. Im sure I will get one eventually but I can't justify the cost of one and paying for the data plan. I have a good setup right now and it works.

My thought as well. I can afford several things that I don't buy (which is why I have the ability to buy them -- I don't buy everything I want!). It always amuses me when people who are about 20 years of age are sitting in an airport with lots of brand-new gadgets, look at my old cellphone and dilapidated laptop and almost snicker. I sit there, totally smug myself, knowing that my available cash is probably literally hundreds of times greater than theirs.

Although sometimes it is true that people's true wealth is displayed by their possessions and how they dress, you really can't make accurate assumptions. Personally, I'd rather people not know exactly what I have because then I'm expected to provide more than my fair share. If I worked hard and honestly and spent frugally for it, then it's mine. Save your own and spare me the pity party of how you managed to have a nice place with lots of toys yet don't have enough for necessities and emergency expenditures.