"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a popular catchphrase in many parts of the English-speaking world. It refers to the desire to be seen as being as good as one's neighbours or contemporaries using the comparative benchmarks of social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority. According to The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson, the origin of this phrase is rooted in the popular comic strip of the same name created by cartoonist Arthur R. "Pop" Momand. The strip debuted in 1913, ran in American newspapers for 28 years, and eventually was adapted into books, films, and musical comedies. The "Joneses" of the title were neighbors of the strip's main characters, and were spoken of but never actually seen in person. It is possible that Momand named them in reference to George Frederic and Lucretia Stevens Rhinelander Jones, parents of novelist Edith Wharton. However, it is most likely that this phrase derives its meaning from Pembroke Jones, shipping and railway industrialist of the early twentieth century. Jones, of Wilmington, North Carolina, was a leader in both New York and Newport social circles well known for hosting lavish parties.
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Film, television and music
The tagline for the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was "Have the adventure of your life keeping up with the Joneses", in reference to the title character and his father. A cue on the film's soundtrack was called "Keeping up with the Joneses". In the film Mona Lisa Smile, Julia Roberts' character attends the high society wedding of Kirsten Dunst's character. Other wedding attendees include, as it is pointed out to Roberts' character, the Joneses of "Keeping up with the Joneses." In The Simpsons, there are numerous references to this concept, especially in the feud between Homer Simpson and Ned Flanders. A related phrase is Keeping up Appearances, which is also the title of a British sitcom on this theme. In July 2005, BBC One ran a short daytime series called Keeping up with the Joneses in which two families compete against each other in an American-style yard sale to see who can sell the most from their households of clutter. The show was presented by Jeremy Milnes (4 episodes) and Nadia Sawalha (1 episode) with antiques expert Mark Franks. It was produced by Leopard Films, makers of "Cash In The Attic" and "Car Booty". The jazz album Jambo Caribe, which trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie made in 1964, features a tune called Don't Try To Keep Up With The Joneses. This Caribbean flavoured music and lyrics tell the story of an argument between a man and his wife, the latter being jealous of her neighbours wealth. A verse in the tune is: "We used to have a joint account / ZERO! is now the amount / you spent it all on fancy clothes / and shoes with open toes."
Games
The computer game Jones in the Fast Lane alludes to this term in its title and gameplay.
Variations
"Keeping up with the Gateses" is a modern variation of this phrase. It refers to the desire to live a lifestyle comparable to the multi-billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates. Such desires are fueled by the portrayal of the spending habits of the rich on television and in magazines. Many attempt to adopt some aspect of this high-end lifestyle despite the lack of comparable personal income. A British varaition of this is "Keeping up with the Beckhams". This refers to a desire to have a lifestyle similar to David Beckham and his wife Victoria as portrayed on television and in celebrity magazines. A further variation is "Spend it like Beckham"
See also
- Affluenza
- Anthropological theories of value
- Conspicuous consumption
- Consumerism
- Envy
- Simple living
- Westernization
- Over-consumption
- Relative deprivation
- Sheeple
- Symbolic capital
- Post-materialism
- Herd behaviour
- Peer pressure
- Status Anxiety
External links
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