Status culture and consumerism: When the desire for luxury turns tragic

Just a few days ago, a father in Patuakhali allegedly sold his one-and-a-half-year-old son for around Tk100,000 to buy a new iPhone. 

At first, the story may sound almost unbelievable. But it was not an isolated incident. Around the same time, 'The Times of India' reported another heartbreaking incident: an 18-year-old, apparently upset because his parents refused to buy him an iPhone, died after jumping from Khavdya Dongar near Tisgaon in India. In a devastating turn, both his parents also lost their lives while trying to save him. Three lives were lost in one family, all in the aftermath of a dispute over a phone. These incidents, however, raise a troubling question: How did the desire to own a luxury phone become powerful enough to outweigh family, dignity and even life itself? 

The psychology behind status consumption

Wanting an iPhone, by itself, seems like an innocent desire. In modern times, people naturally want better cameras, faster processors, longer battery life, and newer technology.

The attraction of luxury products, however, often goes beyond what they can actually do. An expensive product can signal wealth, taste or social success. Over time, owning it can become a way of telling others something about yourself.

This is not a new phenomenon. Economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen described it as conspicuous consumption - 'the tendency to purchase and display goods partly to demonstrate wealth and social standing.' In this kind of culture, possessions can become closely tied to how people see themselves and how they want others to see them. 

And here, a branded watch can be more than something that tells time. A luxury car can represent more than transportation, while a premium smartphone can say something about its owner's lifestyle and identity.

The danger begins when people start attaching their self-worth to these possessions. The question changes from "Do I need this?" to "What will people think if I don't have it?" That is where consumerism and status culture begin to overlap.

How media shapes our desires  

Mass media, especially social media and advertising, has made this pressure much stronger. We live in a media-led environment where other people's possessions are constantly placed in front of us. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, advertisements, and lifestyle magazines routinely showcase new phones, cars, clothes, restaurants, holidays, and lifestyles.

Most of what we see is carefully manipulated. Yet we often compare our ordinary lives with these edited versions of other people's lives. Someone posts a picture with the newest iPhone. Another uploads an unboxing video. A celebrity uses the latest model, while an influencer presents it as a must-have product.

The subconscious message of all this: "You are falling behind if you don't own this."

This creates a culture of comparison. People do not simply want things because they need them; they begin to want them because they see others having them. This pressure is particularly intense among young people, for whom identity and social acceptance often matter greatly. 

Consumer culture understands this psychology well. Modern advertising rarely sells only a product; it sells an idea of the life associated with it. A smartphone can represent creativity, a car freedom, a watch achievement, and a fashion brand confidence. 

What consumers are being offered, then, is often an aspiration as much as a physical product. And that can keep desire going even after the original purchase has been made. A product that seemed impressive yesterday can become ordinary today when a newer version arrives.
When desire becomes dangerous

Things become dangerous when people want things beyond their means. A guy may want a luxury product but simply cannot afford it. Yet constant exposure to consumer culture can make that financial limitation feel like a personal failure rather than a simple economic reality. This can create enormous pressure. People may borrow money, take on debt, or sacrifice essential needs to maintain a certain lifestyle.

In some cases, they may make reckless decisions because they believe possessing a particular product will change how others perceive them. The consequences, however, can reach well beyond the purchase itself.

The two incidents mentioned at the beginning are extreme examples, and it would be simplistic to argue that an iPhone alone caused either tragedy. Human behaviour is complicated, and family relationships, emotional distress, financial difficulties, and personal circumstances can all play a role.

Yet the stories still reveal something important about the society we are building and belong to. We have created a severe capitalist world where material possessions are increasingly connected to identity and social recognition.

The irony is that consumerism promises satisfaction but often produces more dissatisfaction. After one purchase, another product can quickly take its place. And after reaching one level of status, there is often another one to chase. The goalpost keeps moving.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting an iPhone or any other luxury product. If someone can afford it and genuinely wants it, buying it is simply a personal choice.

The problem begins when a luxury item becomes a necessity for social acceptance - or when people begin measuring their worth through what they own.