Abstract
Considering South Africa’s socio-economic climate of high inequality and unemployment, this study is significant for broadening the understanding of why conspicuous consumption is engaged in by Black upper-middle-class youth, especially in township day clubs. The opening of a club in Soweto in 2019, which soon became known as the hub for conspicuous consumption by the Black upper-middle-class, provided a unique context for this research.
South African literature on conspicuous consumption, as practised by the Black upper-middle-class, has explored little regarding the choice of resources they consume conspicuously and the normatively shaped reasons behind that. This study aims to add to the literature by examining the normative motivations that underpin the conspicuous consumption conducted in a township by Black upper-middle-class residents of former Whites-only suburbs. By understanding conspicuous consumption as a social practice, a sociological analysis of this example of upper-middle-class behaviour can shed light on resource-intensive practices conducted in a largely resource-constrained environment when informed by Bourdieu’s Theory of Practice.
A qualitative approach was followed to interview ten regular patrons of the day club using a semi-structured format, and the resultant data was thematically analysed. The data revealed that pre-club conspicuous consumption was practised by purchasing expensive fashion and vehicles. In the club, consumption was conspicuously alcohol related. The consumption occurs ‘loudly’ or ‘quietly’ in the club, with resources specific to ‘loud’ and ‘quiet’ groups, with extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, respectively.
The Black upper-middle class was shown to have two tiers, the aspirant and the secure, this following the consideration of subjective definitions. Upon use of the objective lens of identifying the Black upper-middle-class, subjective definition became important in gaining understanding to the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of these Black upper-middle-class members. The aspirant members usually consumed ‘loudly’. The secure, or Black Diamonds, were ‘quieter’ in their consumption, and the study revealed that their upper-middle-class positioning influenced how conspicuous consumption was practised. It showed that insecurity increased the desire for external validation. Further research could shed light on the engagement in conspicuous consumption being a form of cultural capital utilised by the Black upper-middle-class.