SPMT 319 Unit 2 Questions And Answers With Latest
Solutions
In the 70s Tv networks paid 50 million to show the NFL, in 2010 4 companies paid a total of 2.9 B to have rights to
the NFL games. ANS True
Theory of leisure class ANS Time is a major influence on all aspects of economics, and we as individuals have a
finite amount of time available each day. Because of this, we must make decisions about how to use that time, and
we typically allocate our time to either labor or leisure activities. Thus, the way in which individuals choose to
spend their time determines the social status of individuals, and as a result two distinct classes emerge: the leisure
class (which is the superior pecuniary, or socio-economic, class) and the laboring class (which is the inferior
pecuniary, or socio-economic, class). They both have to do with money and wealth.
EX: Rich guy playing golf in the middle of the workday with the most expensive everything
How do people demonstrate their socioeconomic status? ANS actions, behaviors, and material possessions
Do lower classes try to imitate those with higher socio-economic status? ANS Yes they do, it is referenced as
"pecuniary emulation" and "keeping up with the Joneses"
What is leisure ANS "the non-productive consumption of time". In other words, leisure is how we spend our
discretionary, or free time, or what we do outside of our work, or laboring time.
Who are in the leisure class ANS people who typically have careers or employment which afford flexible
schedules and free time, and also allow for great income earnings....or come from a family or background in which
they already have money and wealth, and so the need to work or "labor" is not necessary. Unlike the leisure class,
the "labor class" cannot avoid productive work, or employment, because their livelihood depends
on their employment in order to pay the bills and accumulate goods.
Conspicuous consumption ANS refers to extravagant, generous, lavish spending on consumer goods (such as
golf clubs, cars, and clothing) and services (such as country club memberships, first class airline tickets, and
expensive restaurants)....which is evidence of higher socio-economic status, or the "leisure class" economic
superiority. Conspicuous leisure then refers to participation in vast and visible leisure activities
Labor class ANS do not have as many options (due to both time and money restraints) as those in the "leisure
class" . For example, snow skiing is a very expensive sport (skis, boots, winter clothing can be very expensive),
, but also takes time (travel, ability to get away...which also takes money when you think about travel and lodging
costs). Most people go on vacation, or at least get away for a few days, to go snow skiing (because of restrictive
ecological and geographical reasons).
Are buying pro sport teams considered Conspicuous consumption? ANS Yes they are, Mark Cuban and Jerry
Jones come to mind. They made their money in other industries, and being a professional sport franchise owner is
just a form of conspicuous consumption and leisure....something for fun! We will talk more about the relationship
between sport and social class later in the course.
Commodification of sport/ Marxist critiques ANS As sport and rec become more commercialized, there are
more opportunities to spend money on sport as a leisure activity
Veblen viewed labor and leisure class relations as one characterized by emulation, Marxist theory views it more as
inherently antagonistic
Commodification involves the transformation of goods, services, or relationships into commodities that are bought
and sold in market- oriented exchange
Are athletes participating in leisure activities when they are playing their sport? ANS No it is classified as
productive work since they are earning a wage
bourgeoisie ANS which is typically a member of the middle and upper classes (leisure class), which serve as the
ruling capitalist class that controls factors of production/performance/output
proletariat ANS comprises the workers who provide labor for them (the producers/performers)
what is the goal of the bourgeoisie ANS the accumulation of wealth, and in order for that to happen, new
markets have to be created, and products distributed to those markets and consumers. In these markets, the
laborer (working class) exchanges labor, or effort/energy/time, for wages (income)....and then exchanges that
income for goods and services which meet his or her leisure needs, and...
Commodification ANS which is the transformation of goods, services or relationships into commodities which
are then used in the market place.
In this sense, it takes time and
