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Bloom argues that those who live in a market-based society's attraction towards luxury items stems from something broader than status and aesthetics but rather from these items' deep history and hidden nature. He further expresses this point by explaining that this appreciation for these objects reflects our human nature of having a deeper appreciation for meaning and authenticity instead of just materialistic intentions. Another important component of his argument is the mention that certain theories developed today regarding this issue, such as signaling theory, are incomplete and cannot be used to explain this pattern of human behavior as a whole.

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Claim: The value we place on items is deeply attached to the history and the authenticity of what they represent.

Quote: "Rather, we respond to what we believe are objects’ deeper properties, including their histories. Sensory properties are relevant and so is signaling, but the pleasure we get from the right sort of history explains much of the lure of luxury items—and of more mundane consumer items as well" (Bloom 4).

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1. To support this perspective, Bloom references how women in Afghanistan owned different colored Burkas, representing more than the item itself, but their freedom. For instance, the text states, "Postrel begins her book in Kabul after the Taliban fell, describing how the women there reveled in their freedom to possess burkas of different colors and to paint their nails" (Bloom 4). This reflects the claim that pleasure is derived from the deeper meaning and history of the item itself. Historically, women in Afghanistan had not had freedom, so buying many colored Burkas for women in Afghanistan is much more than a pretty piece of fabric. Although women in Afghanistan do not live in an environment where market-based translation and love for materialistic items seem to dominate society, these perspectives interestingly apply as well. The majority of Bloom's arguments are not applied to those in a specific country, but given the cultural context of Western society, it is applied as such. This application to those in another culture showcases how these behaviors towards material items are reflective of human nature. However, it is also important to note that this kind of behavior is more common in areas such as the United States, given its consumer culture. However, it is crucial to understand that this still happens outside of market-dominated societies. This is a global matter, as we are all humans, irrespective of culture.

2. To further support this perspective, Bloom references Miller's Book, Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior (2009). Miller expresses how knockoff versions of luxury items exist. Yet, people still buy the authentic version anyway because the items represent more to them than just signal status (referring to signaling theory, a theory that Bloom believes is incomplete regarding this issue). For example, the essay states, "No doubt Rolex loses some sales because people prefer the knockoff, but since the company is still in business, there are apparently enough shoppers who pay a premium of about $29,000 for an authenticity that makes no perceptible difference" (Bloom 5). This explains that many people buy luxury items purely because they value their authenticity, which is their criteria of value. You cannot tell the difference between some knockoffs and others; however, this does not matter to those who value authenticity over the fact that it is a luxury item (which also distinguishes the gaps in signaling theory, showcasing the vastness of this matter).

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To summarize, the two perspectives I mentioned regarding this matter are that people give value to items based on their history and authenticity instead of just signaling status. People give value to items based on the emotional and psychological impacts that specific items have on them. Another important component in these perspectives lies in the market-based society that the individuals Bloom analyzes live in. Those who live in market-based societies have a deeper connection to materialistic items as opposed to those who do not. The perspectives discussed in his project are applied to those who live in societies based around market transitions, as it is a large part of their culture. These theories are similar because Bloom related signaling theory to both of these perspectives. Both reflect that signaling theory is incomplete and cannot be used to completely analyze why people are lured to certain items (luxury and nonluxury). Both can be used as an example of signaling theory being incomplete as Bloom expresses that those who care about authenticity still prefer to buy the authentic/luxury item solely because it is authentic. They can buy a realistic knockoff, which is a more effective way to signal status. However, they prefer authenticity solely because they derive value from authenticity and the history of the brand rather than its image. According to the psychological aspect, signaling theory does not apply given that items that provide people with emotional impacts are personal items with low monetary value. Bloom expresses that no signals are provided with personal items. However, value still exists in the emotional impacts and history behind that item in a more personal way, other than brand authenticity. The theories differ in some ways, as non-luxury applications can only be used for the second theory, as personal items are not luxury items. The first theory is mainly applied to luxury items, given that it requires people to spend a large amount of money on them to show that they prefer authenticity over the image. In contrast, nonluxury items need to be used for the second theory to show that people still value items that aren't necessarily high in monetary value.

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Claim: A psychological component is also present when analyzing this issue. Luxury items often provide buyers with a sense of emotional comfort or accomplishment. It may not be just about signaling to others what their status is, however with this perspective value is derived from a deeper psychological perspective.

Quote: "Some goods, including luxury goods, are valued for properties that have nothing to do with what other people think, so worries about arms races just don’t apply" (Bloom 9).

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1. To further explain this perspective, Bloom gives examples of mundane personal items and how they don't hold high monetary value, yet people still value them in other ways. It is crucial to take non-luxury items into account. Given that these perspectives reflect human nature, not every human can afford luxury items, but they still attach importance to consumer items. For instance, the text states, "Think about your wedding ring or your child’s baby shoes. Such objects serve no practical purpose, they need not be beautiful in any sensory way, and they are useless as signals" (Bloom 7). This reflects the psychological impact that exists regarding this issue. The item does not provide the person with any type of status signal or sensory pleasure; however, it provides them with emotional pleasure. For these people, emotional value is what gives an item its purpose. In other words, emotional value is their base and criteria for what gives an item meaning. The authenticity and history here are evident from personal and emotional experiences. It further reflects the claim that not all items of value are those that are high in monetary value, especially the ones mentioned in the previous perspectives and their respective evidence.

2. Additionally, Bloom's reference to Postrel's The Substance of Style (2003) further expresses the idea that people give value to items through psychological and emotional means. The human psyche is a complex and ever-growing structure. Analyzing this is crucial when trying to figure out why we do what we do and how we do it. This can be applied to various human behaviors. Postrel and Bloom analyze the mind regarding something we all do on a daily basis. For example, the text states, "In her wonderful 2003 book The Substance of Style, Virginia Postrel argues that our reaction to many consumer items is “immediate, perceptual, and emotional" (Bloom 1). This shows that our reaction to items as humans stems from deeper, emotional, transparent, and psychological sources from within, as opposed to the purely materialistic view that the majority of society seems to hold. Given that Bloom starts his essay with this, he wants readers to understand this perspective first and foremost, showing the prevalence and importance of this perspective. This, in turn, can set up the reader's thinking and allow them to form their own ideas while navigating the many theories Bloom brings up in a similar way, with different authors he reveres.

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"From this perspective, the lure of such goods is not limited to their utility or beauty or to our beliefs that possessing them will impress people. Part of the lure is that we believe these items have a certain sort of history. The pleasure we get from these objects is genuine and aesthetic, not mostly sensory" (Bloom 8).

This quote reflects all the points stated above as it summarizes how the reason why consumers are drawn to luxury items cannot be subjugated to one reason. First, Bloom states the stereotypical and overused reason consumers think of first when trying to figure out people's intentions. This point is important to debunk as it eliminates the many misconceptions regarding this matter, which he does through the essay. Throughout the essay, we see that people attach value to items for many reasons, which he also expresses here. For instance, he mentions history, aesthetics, and the fact that it is not entirely sensory or materialistic, contrary to popular belief. This quote reflects the many possibilities of why the lure of luxury is so pressing and misunderstood in today's day and age. In this quote, Bloom tries to debunk previous misconceptions and introduce new avenues of thinking.