Probably all of us have felt bad when comparing ourselves to others — whether it's because they can afford things we wish we could, achieve goals we aspire to, or simply hold a higher social status than we do. So, it's normal to try to do something to keep up with them and feel better about yourself.
At the same time, some people believe that chasing higher social status, or, as the idiom goes, “keeping up with the Joneses” is not only a waste of time, but of money and sanity too. This list is the compilation of things they admit not doing, even if that makes them seem a bit uncool, so let’s see what they are, shall we?
More info: Reddit
#1
I still refuse to download TikTok.
Image credits: TannerThanUsual
#2
Smart home products. I can flip my own lightswitches and select my own music without talking to an a.i. assistant.
Image credits: Slawth_x
#3
A new phone every two years. I keep mine until I can’t update it anymore or stuff on it stops working properly.
Image credits: SellerOfLatex
No matter if you like it or not, social status is an important thing in our lives. In a nutshell, sociology describes it as the relative rank that a person holds in the social hierarchy. It comes with certain rights, duties, and lifestyles.
So, it’s normal for people to feel like they have to achieve a certain status, whether to feel good about themselves or look better in others’ eyes. One of the common ways to do that is by trying to do similar things as people in your desired social status do.
There’s even an interesting idiom partially tied to this phenomenon – “keep up with the Joneses.” Basically, it means to try to keep up the same (or match) lifestyle that your peers have, so you look just as good as they do.
#4
I personally do not feel the need to have a new car on a consistent basis.
Image credits: beach_peach3
#5
As a mother I refused to get on the overscheduled ‘achiever’ child treadmill. My kids each had a sport or activity they enjoyed and then plenty of time with friends and down time at home.
Image credits: puppiesbooksandmocha
#6
Not spending thousands on a 1 year olds birthday party who doesn't even know what's going on.
Image credits: Mash_man710
The phrase was coined in a comic strip by Pop Momand, which went by the same name. It was published from 1913 until 1938. The comics depicted the McGinis family, who struggled to keep up with their neighbors—the Joneses.
Since Jones is among the most common surnames in the United States, the comic’s name quickly became a commonly used and relatable phrase for all, despite the strip itself not achieving the lasting recognizable fame that others did.
Since status-seeking remains prevalent in society even decades after the phrase's conception, it hasn't faded away either. For instance, quite recently someone on Reddit asked netizens this question: “What is your ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ that you absolutely refuse to do?”
#7
Branded stuff.
I'll splurge on high quality, pricey stuff but paying a huge premium to essentially advertise some brand is a no go for me.
Image credits: Panstalot
#8
Expensive gym clothes. I’m not paying $90 for leggings I’m going to run and sweat in. I’ll stick with the cheap ones and not feel bad putting them through hell.
Image credits: Middle-Cranberry-792
#9
I have friends that go to Disney twice a year and they are always trying to get us to go. I've been to Disney, I don't get it and I don't care to go ever again.
Image credits: lukehardy
The catch here is that this question asks not about how people seek status, but rather how they refuse to do it, but that makes things even more interesting. Especially when you take a look at the answers the people provided, which were more than 3K. So, we combined a list of the most compelling ones for you to check out.
As you can understand from the list items and probably from your lived experiences, not all people want to seek higher status (or at least that’s what they say publicly). Status-seeking tends to be viewed as a rather vain thing. Yet, the matter is way more complicated than simple vanity.
This “quirk” is a product of our evolution. People are wired to seek better mates, more food, and greater safety, and while such things happened more literally back in the Stone Age or so, nowadays they evolved into a search for higher social status.
#10
A wedding. We’re going to the courthouse and I couldn’t be happier.
Image credits: PeligrosaPistola
#11
Have my wife rip up a 5 year old fully functional 80k kitchen because 'we need to follow the trends" like my buddy did.
Image credits: LordScotchyScotch
#12
Injections of filler or Botox. I’m 31/F and “at that age” where the pressure is real on social media and amongst my peers. I’m also middle class and could afford it. The influencers are constantly hitting my feed making me feel bad about aging and the aging has only just began. I’m literally so young still. But I just can’t bring myself to cave. We really don’t understand the long term consequences and I’m convinced it’s a fad that will die out because these faces are starting to look, *morphed*. Just fine lines for me, thanks.
Image credits: elons_publicist
Higher social status is proven to influence a person's longevity. For example, research found that on average Oscar winners live four years longer than other Hollywood actors. An unrelatable example you say? Well, speaking about more common people like civil servants, in the UK it was found out that the higher ranking ones live a bit longer than lower ones.
What should be taken into consideration here is that when a person is of lower social status, typically they have less control over their working lives, and have less opportunity for social participation. All of that leads to them having greater stress, and less protection against illnesses, which shortens their life. Quite unfair, isn’t it? Well, it doesn't change the fact that it’s our reality.
So, while seeking higher status, or trying to “keep up with the Joneses” isn’t an inherently bad thing, focusing only on that shouldn’t become the sole goal of one’s life. To prevent yourself from it happening, check out today’s list for ideas on how to resist it.
#13
Getting an Apple Watch.
Image credits: narwahl_IQ
#14
Stanley’s 😂😂😂.
Image credits: ZookeepergameBig1903
#15
Home trends. I do not believe that I need to make my house summer, autumn, winter or spring themed. Will I change my linen to something warmer and darker during winter and get my floral out during summer? Sure. But I sure AF am not hopping on that train of changing everything.
Image credits: GrumpyPanda29
#16
Getting a doodle because they are trendy right now. I have no interest in paying thousands of dollars more for a designer dog because everyone wants one. Especially when there are so many great dogs in need of a home in shelters.
Image credits: Fantastic-Support383
#17
Buying nail sets and lashes.
Image credits: Comprehensive_Box902
#18
Living paycheck to paycheck to just have "things".
Image credits: NotTheGumdrop
#19
F**k Spotify. I use a Zune.
Image credits: captainedwinkrieger
#20
I’ve never understood buying a home for the max amount you were approved for just because that’s what you were approved for. We have friends that live in really nice houses, but never go anywhere or do anything. My wife and I opted to buy a really nice but smaller house that was 275k less than what we were approved for. Now we go on nice vacations a couple times a year, go out to dinner often. We see plays, concerts and do all kinds of things we couldn’t do if we had bought a bigger house.
Image credits: drewbee123
#21
I can genuinely say i do not give one single care what a lawn looks like, and will do the barest minimum maintenance just so the city doesn't ticket me.
Image credits: kbyyru
#22
I will try to fix/mend everything that I own before deciding to just be a consumer.
Image credits: real_picklejuice
#23
Pay 20+ at a cocktail bar for one drink.
Image credits: anon
#24
Buying a pair of god awful ugly a*s shoes that don’t fit my feet, but are “designer” or whatever. I’m not an Olympic athlete, I don’t need to spend hundreds on shoes.
Image credits: PinkRanger1234
#25
Embracing consumer culture. To be fair, there was about a decade when I was too poor to do that. Once my financial situation improved, I realized that none of that stuff would have made me happy. And now that I can afford to "keep up," I have zero desire to. In that way, the poverty was useful (though I never want to be in that dire of a situation again).
Image credits: sirdigbykittencaesar
#26
I live in a small town in Iowa and everyone has a golf cart that they tool around town in. I’m not getting a golf cart.
Image credits: letmebeyoursalad
#27
Have dogs that bark all day long for no reason.
Image credits: flatstacy
