Conspicuous Consumption of Self

Instead of Veblen’s “conspicuous consumption” of commodities, the “beat” hipster engages in a conspicuous consumption of the self. There is nothing of value to him; and finally the self too is valueless, or acquires value only through acts of conspicuous destruction. (The Greek attitude toward the first “beat” hipster, Herostrates, who burnt the Temple of Diana of Ephesus to assure himself lasting publicity, was more sensible than ours: public mention of his name was made unlawful.)

For the sake of really having the longed-for orgiastic thrill, the extraordinary (crazy) experience-or of being able to pretend to himself that he felt it-the hipster is willing to risk his life, or, at least, is willing to appear to risk his life. Above all, this convinces him of his own sincerity. But in risking or consuming his life, the “beat” hipster, unlike the saint (with whom Allen Ginsberg likes to compare him), does not have revealed and dogmatically buttressed redemption goals. Hence, there is more attitudinizing than there is actual sacrificing-there is no sacrum for the sake of which he can make himself suffer. The self-injuries that occur are not so much willed as accidental, or incidental to stupidity and overindulgence.

EH

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Ernest van den Haag

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Instead of Veblen’s “conspicuous consumption” of commodities, the “beat” hipster engages in a conspicuous consumption of the self. There is nothing of value to him; and finally the self too is valueless, or acquires value only through acts of conspicuous destruction. (The Greek attitude toward the first “beat” hipster, Herostrates, who burnt the Temple of Diana of Ephesus to assure himself lasting publicity, was more sensible than ours: public mention of his name was made unlawful.)

For the sake of really having the longed-for orgiastic thrill, the extraordinary (crazy) experience-or of being able to pretend to himself that he felt it-the hipster is willing to risk his life, or, at least, is willing to appear to risk his life. Above all, this convinces him of his own sincerity. But in risking or consuming his life, the “beat” hipster, unlike the saint (with whom Allen Ginsberg likes to compare him), does not have revealed and dogmatically buttressed redemption goals. Hence, there is more attitudinizing than there is actual sacrificing-there is no sacrum for the sake of which he can make himself suffer. The self-injuries that occur are not so much willed as accidental, or incidental to stupidity and overindulgence.