Changing the Joneses

Keeping up with the Joneses is a saying that originated in a comic from the early 1900’s, or at least that’s what Wikipedia would have me believe (just confirmed by Toonopedia). The Joneses are the unseen neighbors in the comic and are often referred to with some degree of envy by the strip’s main characters. While those characters and the strip in which they lived faded out of existence, the title remained as a popular saying, a saying which captured the motivation behind much of our consumption-minded culture.

Luxury, size and cost are all purchasing choices designed to help us “keep up with the Joneses.” We are trained to feel that we need a house, car and clothes consummate with the position we have achieved professionally or socially. Unfortunately, for most things, particularly houses, what we need always seems to be bigger and less practical. Prestige measured by the square foot.

Aside from the problems most Americans find themselves in financially after spending a few years chasing the illusive Joneses, the tendency for prosperity to be represented by size also isn’t exactly helping the old planet. We add rooms to houses that are already twice as large as we need. We base buying decisions on square-footage because that is what everyone will ask about at our first party (How many square feet you workin’ with here Bob?). McMansions are multiplying like huge, ungainly, under-insulated rabbits and all this means more energy, more furniture, more . . . everything.

We need to consume less, but as long as the Joneses are out there ahead of us, flaunting all that big stuff, that kind of change is difficult to make. As a culture we are so trained to measure ourselves against those around us that we will use any scale available. The most ready scale, to date, has been size, but perhaps that could change.

If it is going to change it has to change with the Joneses. It has to change with those who everyone is trying to stack up against. If a shift can be made in the thinking of the privileged, adjusting the way in which they broadcast their position, then we might see a change in the way everyone struts their stuff. Horse-power could be replaced with gas mileage. R-values (insulation) could be the new square footage. Solar panels instead of swimming pools, ten speeds instead of hummers, subtractions instead of additions . . . who knows.

According to the New York Times, this shift might be happening in housing. With the advent of modern design and the rising concern over global warming (even among the most impenetrable minds), green houses have become more attractive. Environmentally sound housing is no longer solely the province of patchouli scented hippies. Interesting architecture and the socially conscious appeal of a small carbon footprint open this type of houses to a broader audience with a sense of style to go along with their sense of responsibility.

Conspicuous non-consumption, as the Times article refers to it, may be hard for those used to losing their spouse and children somewhere in their 15,000 square foot castle, but it only takes a few adopters to begin the trickle down (no not Reaganomics style) of change. While there may be plenty of us who have cast off our need to chase the Joneses, the majority are still affected (if only unconsciously) by this race. A change in the measuring stick is key to a societal shift.

So instead of chasing the Joneses, let’s set out to change them. Design for style and efficiency. Make green cool and aim for a new demographic. And, if anyone from the Jones Family is listening, be sure to brag about your tankless water heater, the number of miles you bike and the efficiency of your windows at the next swanky party you attend. I am all for grass roots, but it helps to have a little assistance from the top of the mountain sometimes.

Nic Darling is not a Jones.