“People care a great deal more about appearance and reputation than about reality.” - Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind
Are beliefs the new Bentleys?
Luxury goods used to be simple. You had a fancy watch, drove a sports car, and took ski trips to a chalet to prove you'd made it. But today, status signalling has evolved.
Now, instead of showing off expensive items, it is now said that people display "luxury beliefs." These are fashionable, progressive ideas that show you have made it - only those insulated from the consequences can comfortably endorse them. I think there is some truth to this, but labelling people as having luxury beliefs also stifles discussions.
Jonathan Haidt, in his influential book The Righteous Mind, highlighted how beliefs can be used for signalling - showing your group membership and moral purity rather than being something you actually value or practice.
We can see that stated beliefs change. Corporate America, for example, has flip-flopped over many issues: DEI, Climate Change and working from home. It seems to follow the political mood. Were they being real when they embraced it, or when they dropped it?
What are examples of luxury beliefs:
1. Abolishing elite education
Many in the UK passionately advocate for abolishing elite education schools (private or grammar schools in particular), arguing they create a two-tier education.
Ironically, these critics often through living in expensive areas or membership of a well-organised faith community, benefit from state provided selective education. They funnily never seem to advocate for removals of these barriers!
2. University education is unnecessary
It's fashionable among elites to speak negatively of university education, effectively labelling it as an expensive waste of time. Elon Musk, educated at UPenn, often speaks about how university education is outdated and a rip-off. Yet, even today, university education opens doors that become hard to access without it.
3. Gender as Entirely Socially Constructed
Men within elite circles increasingly support the claim gender is purely a social construct. However, the consequences of such beliefs—such as women's sports fairness, single-sex spaces, and safety concerns—rarely impact those wealthy proponents insulated from real-world implications.
4. Marriage is Outdated
Claiming traditional marriage is oppressive or unnecessary is common among elites who publicly critique conventional family structures yet privately benefit invest in stable marriages. Marriage today, still remains as one of the strongest sources of social stability and economic security, particularly for lower-income families.
Belief some controversially describe as a luxury belief : Ukraine/Russia
More recently the term luxury beliefs has been stretched to situations that are less clear cut. Liberal elites vocally encourage Ukrainians to fight Russia, often from the safety and comfort of their own peaceful nations, bearing none of the life-threatening consequences. Advocating continued warfare from a distance becomes a moral luxury. This is more controversial, as European tax payers have paid real money out of their coffers to help the Ukrainians to that end.
Why should we think about Luxury Beliefs
Addressing luxury beliefs matters because ideas shape our societies, policies, and public discourse. When elites adopt beliefs as social accessories, they're gambling with other people's lives. Policy shouldn't be driven by fashionable ideology insulated from its practical consequences - society deserves authentic debate grounded in real-world outcomes, not merely symbolic moral posturing.
Problems with the Framing of Luxury Beliefs
However, the framing of someone's view as a luxury belief carries risks of its own. Labelling beliefs as "luxury" can dismiss sincere advocacy. It also sets a problematic standard, can it be right that unless you directly experience a consequence, your voice doesn't matter? Should a village with no immigrants in it, be allowed to voice an opinion on immigration in the country as a whole? This framing discourages genuine thought and silences important discussions.
Bottom line
Beliefs must be judged on their merits, not just on who holds them or why. Still, honesty demands calling out hypocrisy. Society benefits most when beliefs are authentic rather than simply signals of privilege.
How to spot luxury beliefs
Look for Contradictions: If someone’s public stance contradicts their personal actions, it might be a luxury belief.
Check Personal Risk: Genuine beliefs typically involve real personal cost or sacrifice. Luxury beliefs rarely cost the believer anything.
Observe Consequences: Ask who actually bears the cost if this belief is implemented. If it's consistently someone else—usually the less privileged—you might be spotting a luxury belief.
How to spot luxury beliefs
Reflect Honestly: Regularly question whether your beliefs match your actions. If they don’t, reassess your stance or your actions.
Stay Humble: Recognize it's easy to preach from positions of safety and privilege. Be cautious advocating ideas that carry serious consequences if you aren't prepared to shoulder some of them yourself.
Seek Authenticity Over Approval: Hold beliefs because they're genuinely important to you—not because they're fashionable or socially rewarding.
So What?
Luxury beliefs are fashionable, often progressive ideas adopted by elites as status symbols precisely because they’re insulated from their real-world consequences. Examples include abolishing elite education and dismissing universities and marriage. and celebrating unchecked globalisation.
While highlighting luxury beliefs helps uncover hypocrisy, there’s a risk of dismissing genuine advocacy, implying only directly affected individuals have valid opinions—a stance that threatens democratic discourse.
Ultimately, luxury beliefs push us to examine if we’re truly committed to our values or merely signaling social status. The goal is authenticity, not fashionable moral accessories.
Next week I will be discussing "Are we in a Utopia or Dystopia?". Until then, please sign up to receive the blog directly to your email at Blog | Deciders.
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