有钱人的不同消费观念

    To the average Joe, the luxury-watch business might seem completely upside down.
    The most expensive, in-demand watches these days are solid black, ultrathin timepieces with little or no identifying brand markers. They are designed not to be noticed.
    The lower end of the luxury-watch market is filled with chunky, gold and bling-encrusted models that scream for status. Unlike the luxury-car market, where the more expensive cars are designed to attract attention, watches are the reverse. Less costs more.
    What gives?
    A doctoral student and two professors have been studying luxury goods and their 'brand prominence'-how noticeable a brand or logo is on a product. They tried to figure out what types of consumers want luxury goods with big logos and what types want luxury goods with no logos.
    Their finding: truly rich consumers want subtle badges or status, while the lesser¹ wealthy want bigger logos. The research--led by Young Jee Han, a doctoral student in Marketing² at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California-breaks the luxury market into four strata³ of rich consumers.
    They are:
    Patricians⁴. High in financial means, Patricians are 'principally concerned with associating with other patricians rather than dissociating themselves from other classes of consumers. They use subtle signals because only other patricians can interpret them.' They pay a premium⁵ for understatement.
    Parvenus⁶. 'Parvenus are affluent⁷-it is not that they cannot afford quieter goods-but they crave⁸ status. They are concerned first and foremost with separating or dissociating themselves from the havenots while associating themselves with other haves, both patricians and other parvenus.' Parvenus love the Louis Vuitton logo, the researchers say.
    Poseurs⁹. Like Parvenus, Poseurs are 'highly motivated to consume for the sake of status.' Poseurs 'do not possess the financial means to readily afford authentic¹⁰ luxury goods. Yet they want to associate themselves with those they observe and recognize as having the financial means (the parvenus) and dissociate themselves from other less affluent people.' Poseurs like counterfeit¹¹ luxury goods.
    Proletarians. These are less-affluent consumers who also are less-status conscious. 'Proletarians are simply not driven to consume for the sake of status and either cannot or will not concern themselves with signaling by using status goods. They seek neither to associate withthe upper crust nor to dissociate themselves from others of similarly humble¹² means.' They tend to avoid luxury goods altogether.
    Which category do you think you fall in? Or is there a fifth category? (Would Warren Buffett be a billionaire proletarian?)

1 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

2 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

3 strata   

n.地层（复数）；社会阶层

参考例句：

• The older strata gradually disintegrate.较老的岩层渐渐风化。
• They represent all social strata.他们代表各个社会阶层。

4 patricians   

n.（古罗马的）统治阶层成员( patrician的名词复数 )；贵族，显贵

参考例句：

• There was a conflict between plebs and patricians in ancient Rome in 494BC. 在公元前494年，罗马发生了一次平民反对贵族的斗争。 来自互联网

5 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

6 parvenus   

n.暴富者( parvenu的名词复数 )；暴发户；新贵；傲慢自负的人

参考例句：

• Well, we've no need for relatives who are such stingy, snobbish parvenus as that.\" 这种鄙吝势利的暴发户，咱们不希罕和他们做亲家。” 来自汉英文学 - 围城

7 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

8 crave   

vt.渴望得到，迫切需要，恳求，请求

参考例句：

• Many young children crave attention.许多小孩子渴望得到关心。
• You may be craving for some fresh air.你可能很想呼吸呼吸新鲜空气。

9 poseurs   

n.装腔作势的人( poseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

10 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

11 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

12 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。