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In Paul Bloom's "The Lure of Luxury," he discusses that the reasoning behind humans' need for luxury items goes beyond aesthetics and signaling. He argues that it is dictated by the item's history.

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Paul Bloom's argument is that behind everything we own there is some sort of history to the item. The need or attachment to luxury goods (or even any item) is there because of the essence of said item.

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A History of Pearls - Victoria and Albert Museum Video

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Paul Bloom states, this argument that the value of luxury goods goes beyond physical properties and functionality. The concept of signaling suggests we deem items valuable because they can be seen as "status symbols" (which creates positional goods). In other words, we buy these items to impress and receive approval from others.

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According to Bloom, this argument states that the luxury items goes beyond its monetary value and history. The attraction of goods is because they are "rich in pleasure." People grow attached to items because they are visually or tactically pleasing.

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Signaling- the theory that refers to how people use items as a way to communicate status, identity, or wealth.

Positional goods- purchases that are motivated by status enhancement.

Endowment effect- a bias that causes people to value things they own more than they would value the same things if they didn't own them.

Ikea Effect- the idea that you'll value something more if you made or built yourself.

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Why are Aesthetics and Signaling Incomplete Arguments?

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Why are Aesthetics and Signaling Incomplete Arguments?

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Bloom doesn't completely reject these two arguments. Aesthetics and signaling could be a part of the reason why items are so important to people, however those arguments are incomplete. Not every item has the sole purpose to be shown off, or not every item is aesthetically pleasing. It is the essence, the deeper properties of items that attracts people.

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Paul Bloom states, "I don't think any of this is mistaken. But seriously incomplete. There is a further explanation for our love of such goods, which draws upon one of the most interesting ideas in cognitive sciences: that humans are not primarily sensory creatures. Rather we respond to what we believe are objects' deeper properties, including their histories" (Bloom 4). Overall, Bloom is trying to say that our desire for luxury goods mostly stems from emotional and historic connections.

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The history of an item can relate to its authenticity. Usually, sensory pleasure can be forgotten if an item is said to be one of a kind. We deem things to be valuable based on whether or not they are "genuine" or "original." Bloom mentions many examples like, "In a 1996 auction, President John F. Kennedy's golf clubs sold for $772,500, and a tape measure from the Kennedy household sold for $48,875. There have been eBay auctions for Barack Obama's half-eaten breakfast and Britney Spears' chewed-up bubble gum" (Bloom 6). Items previously owned by celebrities are deemed authentic because it is associated with their identity and their careers creating a connection with the history of the item.

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The history of an item can also relate to its emotional significance. Items can be expensive or cheap, aesthetically pleasing or not, but its value all relies on the emotions and memories attached to them. Bloom mentions, "There are more personal cases. 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). Wedding rings and baby shoes are great examples of items that are extremely valuable to us but not because of aesthetics or signaling, but because we gave them that value. The emotional connection between those items and us further proves that the history of the item creates value.

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According to Bloom's book, "How Pleasure Works," the history of items stem from the value we give them. He states, "It arises because of the importance we give to the deeper nature of things, what they are made of, where they come from" (Bloom 8). In other words, the need to own luxury goods isn't about the appearance or utility, rather it's about the item's essence. By essence, he means the deeper and invisible qualities that these goods possess. For example, a painting made by a famous painter has way more value compared to a painting made by a random person. Therefore, the pleasure that we get isn't from the item itself, instead it's from factors like who made it? Or if it was a gift? Or even if it's authentic?

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The signaling theory refers to how people use items as a way to communicate status, identity, or wealth. In this theory, purchases are influenced by the public eye since the item a person may buy is only mostly for impressing others, to stand out, or even to fit in. Bloom points out many examples where signaling is applied in our society like, "from self-mutilating behavior to the fact that the best private schools teach dead languages - but it is most blatant in the consumer world. Advertisements are often pure signaling fantasies. Your neighbor gasps as your car drives by; the attractive stranger in a bar is aroused by your choice of beer; your spouse and children love you because you bought the right brand of frozen pizza" (Bloom 3). All of these materialistic-controlled reactions prove that the consumer culture is controlled by the need for approval and praise. Creating the issue of positional goods (that Bloom mentions) which are goods that are influenced / motivated by status enhancement.

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In the simplest words, the aesthetic argument states that we want items due to their physical properties. Whether it's due to the item being visually or physically attractive. Bloom states that people believe this because "If pleasure is triggered by physical properties of what we are looking at or touching, then it shouldn't matter what we think it is" (Bloom 5). In this argument, aesthetics beat authenticity since we are "tactile creatures." For example, the difference between a Rolex watch and a knockoff version of it look the same, so it should make us feel the same way.

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Bloom criticizes the theory of signaling because not every item we own is to show off, they can have emotional and psychological significance. He doesn't completely deny it because it does somewhat play a role in a consumer's behavior and decisions. However, Bloom states that communicating status through luxurious items isn't always the case due to many things like the endowment effect where, "you come to value an object, such as a mug, more if you own it. You also value an object more if you purposefully chose it than if it was just handed to you. And you value it less if you had previously rejected it. You enjoy something to a greater degree if you had to work to get it," (Bloom 6). He mentions all these circumstances where the history of an item beats signaling when choosing what is valuable or not. We appreciate items more when they play a role in a more psychological and emotional way (like in the endowment and Ikea effect).

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Bloom criticizes the theory of aesthetics because items may be aesthetically pleasing but it isn't the only reason why we find these items valuable. For example, a blanket can be beautiful and soft but it is valuable because it was a gift from someone important or was bought after working hard to buy it. Bloom states, "The shoppers know, after all, that they are stroking Armani suits. Would they react the same way if reaching into the discount rack at Marshalls offered the same sensory experience? Probably not. If pleasure is triggered by the physical properties of what we are looking at or touching, then it shouldn't matter what we think it is. But it does matter" (Bloom 5). In simpler terms, aesthetics may play a role in purchases of items, but authenticity matters more. A knockoff may feel and look the same but knowing that it isn't real alters its value in our minds. The history / authenticity of the item is what makes the sensory experience even better.

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In the "Lure of Luxury," Paul Bloom challenges the beliefs that items are valuable due to signaling or aesthetics. Instead, he believes the obsession comes from deeper properties like the history of an item, including emotional connections and authenticity. He says many may argue our obsession with luxury items is unhealthy or useless, but he thinks there is an undeniable pleasure from these items that we should still appreciate.

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"What drives people to possess so much more than they need?"

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"What drives people to possess so much more than they need?"

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(Bloom 2).

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"Most people own things that they don't really need. It is worth thinking about why."

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"Most people own things that they don't really need. It is worth thinking about why."

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(Bloom 3).

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The song is about a fake and artificial world, where the singer longs for something authentic and real.

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The song emphasizes the idea that money can't buy genuine love and happiness. However, I think this connects to the emotional aspect of Bloom's argument since certain items and gifts we love because of who and where they are from (could be from a person or place we love).

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This song connects to aesthetics and the sensory aspect of luxury goods because it discusses very superficial attraction to items.

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This song connects with signaling because it highlights how we decide success and social status through materialistic and luxurious items.