argument map by Sabrina Trinh

evidence for thesis

sct94 — 2025-02-10 20:02:41 UTC

"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)

MAIN THESIS:

sct94 — 2025-02-10 20:03:25 UTC

Luxury is more than just having expensive things. It includes societal factors and is about status, history, identity, and many other complex reasons.

PERSPECTIVE 1: There is a psychological desire for luxury

sct94 — 2025-02-18 01:43:43 UTC

key terms: status, self worth, sensory theory

Luxury items make us feel like we are worthy. They make us feel better about ourselves because we believe they hold high value. The look, touch, taste, sound, or feel can be highly appealing and also influence someone to buy luxury goods.

PERSPECTIVE 2: People want luxury things to show others

sct94 — 2025-02-18 01:44:28 UTC

key terms: signaling

People want to signal to others that they are sophisticated and can afford certain things.

PERSPECTIVE 3: Societal shaping of luxury

sct94 — 2025-02-18 02:06:39 UTC

key terms: culture, media

There are a lot of influences on how things are deemed luxurious. Society plays a big role on this.

evaluation of bloom's claim

sct94 — 2025-02-18 02:15:06 UTC

Bloom believes that the desire for luxury items is much more complex than just one reason. He explains the different factors that contribute to this desire. All of the sub claims are intertwined in meaning because they all support the main thesis. They are all effective reasons as to why people buy luxury items and it shows that there is not just one reason.

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:00:48 UTC

"Twitchell’s daughter is captivated “not so she can impress anyone else or feel affiliated with prestigious brands. She wants these luxuries because they are aesthetically appealing, because they are, in a word, beautiful.”" (Bloom 5)

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:00:54 UTC

"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’s chewed-up bubble gum" (Bloom 6)

how this supports main thesis

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:01:24 UTC

This adds to Bloom's claim that there are complexities to the lure of luxury. The piece of evidence tells us that some people buy luxury items not just because of the price but how it makes them feel. The sensory theory also ties to this and partly explains why people might want luxury items. The feel, look, taste, etc are contributing factors but not always the whole reason why people buy them.

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:26:58 UTC

"the hunger for these luxury goods is a modern expression of the evolved desire to signal attractive traits—such as intelligence, ambition, and power—to entice mates" (Bloom 3)

how this supports the main thesis

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:35:37 UTC

This claim introduces the idea that people want these expensive items to show to others that they're able to afford it. They want people to view them in a certain way, and signaling is the solution to that.

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 03:54:23 UTC

"To most, an Armani is worth more than a knockoff, even if the difference is invisible to the senses" (Bloom 5)

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 04:11:10 UTC

"A defender of the signaling theory might say that we don’t just want to signal; we want to signal honestly" (Bloom 5)

how this supports the main thesis

sct94 — 2025-02-18 04:25:28 UTC

The value of a luxury item goes up when society deems it as something that is wanted. For example, celebrity items are worth way more because society has collectively agreed that because they are famous, their items hold more value.

evidence

sct94 — 2025-02-18 04:29:46 UTC

"The trees surrounding Napoleon’s gravesite were also pulled apart and pieces brought home as souvenirs." (Bloom 7)