Keeping up with the Joneses
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Keeping up with the Joneses is a popular phrase in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the common desire to be seen to be as good as one's neighbours or contemporaries, thus maintaining a favourable image in comparison with them. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating one's socio-economic or cultural inferiority.
According to The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson, the origin of the phrase is rooted in the 1913 comic strip of the same name created by cartoonist Arthur R. "Pop" Momand. The strip ran in American newspapers for 28 years, and eventually appeared in books, films, and musical comedies. It is possible that the "Joneses" in reference were George Frederic and Lucretia Stevens Rhinelander Jones, parents of writer Edith Newbold Jones Wharton; it could also be due to the fact that "Jones" is a very common name, applying to a lot of "normal" people (hence the expression).
A related phrase is Keeping Up Appearances, which is also the title of a British sitcom on this theme.
Keeping up with the Gateses is another related phrase being used more recently. It refers to the desire of living lifestyles comparable to that of the wealthiest in the society. Such desires are fueled by portrayal of the spending habits of the rich on Television and in magazines. It often leads people to overconsumption and spending more than they earn, thereby falling into debt.
External link
- A profile of the original comic strip (http://www.toonopedia.com/joneses.htm)
- Keeping up with the Gateses (http://www.phoenix.liu.edu/~uroy/eco54/histlist/schor1.htm)