Conspicuous Consumption in Katara

For this active blog, I went on a short trip to the cultural village we all know as Katara. Perhaps the most intriguing question one could ask regarding Katara is the following: Why is Katara considered one of the most popular places to hang out in Doha? This is the question I was bent on answering during my visit.

I drove over to what is probably the most well-known karak shop in Doha, Karak and Chapatti, which is approximately at the center of Katara. It is approximately at the Karak shop where you can pay 15 QR to have value parking, which people use if they cannot find any available parks or perhaps as a public display of wealth. As I was waiting for my order of sweet Chapattis and Karak, which costs around QR 7, over double the typical market price. I looked around me at the groups of people in their cars, some of whom were waiting for their orders just as I was, and others who were enjoying their freshly made Chapattis. What caught my attention immediately was that a large proportion of the total cars around had special plate numbers, and everyone knows that plate numbers are a big thing right now in Doha. A 4-digit plate number could easily sell for QR 100,000(equivalent to USD 36,500). I parked my car and went deeper inside the cultural village. Some of the restaurants that are available include Sukkar Basha, a fancy Lebanese restaurant, Saffron, an exquisite Indian restaurant, and El Wzaar, my all-time favorite seafood restaurant. All restaurants mentioned previously, including the ones that weren’t, are known to be luxurious dine-ins that offer top-notch service and mouth-watering cuisine.



At one end of Katara are the Shawarma and Kenaafa serving restaurants. Although I have never tried the Shawarma they have to offer, I did buy some a couple of times. One shawarma sandwich costs QR 15, which is about triple the price it is offered for in typical shawarma restaurants. Personally, I am not against buying a relatively expensive sandwich, but I do not think that it would taste significantly better than any other shawarma in the market.

To conclude, my observations during my visit to the cultural village known as Katara signal that the majority of what is displayed in Katara, which ranges from people in fancy cars with fancy plate numbers, to luxurious restaurants and priced-up snacks, is conspicuous consumption at its extremes. According to Wikipedia, conspicuous consumption is known as the “spending of money for and the acquiring of luxury goods and services to display economic power.” I am not saying that this behavior is necessarily a bad thing, I am merely acknowledging its natural existence in us as human beings who place emphasis on powerful appearance, and who take delight in enjoying the luxurious commodities life has to offer.

Social Class in Qatar

People have a misconception that ALL Qataris are filthy rich and Social Class does not exist in Qatar, well amongst Qataris. The general belief is that the different social classes in Qatar are as follows:

Upper Class = Qataris

Middle Class = Foreigners with jobs that pay middle range salaries

Lower Class = Expats who usually come to do the dirty work e.g. Construction workers.

However, that is not the truth, this is a generalization of Khaleeji (GCC countries) stereotypes or Qataris in particular and it also forms yet another misconception that the social inequality in Qatar favors locals over expats.

This is the real structure for Social Classes in Qatar that I have perceived (A Qatari myself) is as follows:

Upper class = SOME Qataris and Foreigners (usually Americans and Europeans) with high-ranking jobs which requires years of expertise and specialists.

Middle Class = SOME Qataris and other foreigners with middle range incomes

Lower Class = Expats (usually south-east Asians) with low paying jobs.

I know that it is hard for non-Qataris to spot the differences because to them we all look the same. There are many elements that suggest a person’s social class and wealth starting from Family name and origin.

Family name can sometimes be misleading because just because two different people have the same family name, it doesn’t mean that they are both EQUALLY rich. In fact, there is a great contrast between each person’s social status and wealth.

YES, I agree that not every Qatari is exactly “poor”, but they are not all as ignorant and swaggering as we are portrayed in the western media outlets and especially social media.


Just listen to this idiot who's obviously NOT Qatari

 

This is a movie that shows a woman who was kidnapped and then sold a to an “Arab” rich man whose car number plate “happened” to be Qatari.

The movie’s name is Taken and it was released in 2008.

In the Sociology, the concept of “Social Mobility” is defined as “shifting from one social status to another, commonly to a status that is either higher or lower. For example, a child of day laborers who becomes a professor achieves upward social mobility”.

The problem with social mobility in Qatar is that SOME Qataris want to keep up with the rest of the rich population by the accumulation of material goods. This is known in Sociology as “Conspicuous Consumption”.

 Conspicuous consumption is the purchasing of luxury goods such as: cars, antiques, expensive excursions, and beach-houses.

SOME would go to extremes like taking out loans that they know they won’t be able to pay back in order to buy things that they can’t afford. Therefore, the social mobility is fake and temporary.

As Qataris, the first thing we do if we want to determine another Qatari's social class is we simply look at them, their hand bangs, Abayas, cars, houses, where do they travel every summer and how often do they travel. Those are all obvious things, well at least to us. My advice to non-Qataris, whether you're an Arab or not, NEVER make premature judgements especially when they're absolutely false. Because behind all the fancy Abayas, designer handbangs and shoes, and our fast Mercedes, there are normal, nice, down to earth people. Including myself of course ;)

What do Land cruisers represent in Qatar ?

Like in every other country in the world, here in Qatar the social stratification is very evident. The difference between Qatar and other countries however, is that Qatar has one of the highest rates of cultural diversity. So the social stratification here is mostly based on ethnicity. Although the following not 100% accurate, this is basically what each social class contains: First we have the upper classmen, the elite Qatari’s, then we have the westerners that take place at about upper/middle class, then a variety of Arabs/middle easterners that are mostly middle classmen, and finally we have the Asians and southeast Asians that are working/lower class.

From all the Hollywood movies we watch, we notice that the elite in every country have a few traits, things that make them all relate to one another. For example, in the west the elite are known to visit the opera regularly, and play golf. This concept is known as conspicuous leisure. Conspicuous leisure is basically activities done to show one’s social status. Things like the opera and golf are relatively expensive, so the wealthy/elite take place in such things for the sake of showing their social status to the world, and establishing their high standards. Similarly, something like that exists here in Doha, Qatar. The term conspicuous consumption applies more in this situation however. Conspicuous consumption is basically buying really expensive things and showing them off to establish your high standing in society. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about an example of conspicuous consumption in Qatar is a Land Cruiser.

The Land Cruiser is the number one item that can tell you that this person is an elite Qatari. The Land cruiser to the Qatari’s is a thing that highlights their social class. Social class is usually based on occupation and education. But here it's mostly wealth inherited from family members, which leads to social class inherited from family members. Once a Qatari is born into a wealthy family, their social class has already been established. Owning a Land Cruiser is a symbol of wealth and high social standards. While driving around the streets of Doha, I can literally see the power one has driving a Land Cruiser. People know that these Land Cruisers represent wealth and power, and they know not to mess with them. It’s like owning one puts you in an “elite club”, and the members of this “club” distinguish you from the rest of the population once they know you’re a Cruiser owner.

The interesting thing I’ve recently noticed is that others are buying Land Cruisers, and that it’s not just the Qatari’s anymore. Since the Qatari’s aren’t the only wealthy people in this country, the “Land Cruiser club” grew. I think that makes the original Land Cruiser owners unhappy, because there’s no longer a “Qatari Only” policy for entering this club. Originally when you see a Land Cruiser you immediately know its owners are Qatari; they liked it that way, it defined them. But now, it’s become more common among the mixed ethnicities of upperclassmen. So what the Qatari's started doing to make sure they still stand out, is spend more money on their Cruisers in an obvious way that highlights the difference between them and the new “foreign” Cruiser owners. They tint their windows, or buy a really expensive and short license plate, or “pimp” their cars with paint and colors in a way that really stands out. Their cruisers mean a lot more than just a car; to them, it represents where they stand in this Qatari society, and what kind of treatment they get because of this high social standing.

The Conspicuous Consumption of Food in Qatar

Note: Throughout this blog, I refer to the sociological terms "conspicuous consumption" and "conspicuous leisure." Conspicuous consumption is displaying high social class through the consumption of highbrow (or sophisticated) goods or services. Conspicuous leisure is displaying high social class through pursuing highbrow activities or interests.

      When I first moved to Qatar, I did not expect it to be at all different from my hometown of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. That assumption was only half-true. Both countries probably are very similar to the eyes of, say, a foreigner. To my homesick eyes, though, I noticed how slight differences between both societies made such a big difference. Abayas in Jeddah, for instance, are more colorful than the black yet elaborately embroidered Qatari abayas. The thobes worn by Qatari men have two awkward folds in the back, and the sight of it always bothers me because my inner Saudi Arabian feels that it's just plain wrong. That's only my opinion, really.

      One of the most unexpected phenomenons I noticed, though, was how quickly trends caught up with almost all of my Qatari classmates, especially with food. This was unlike Jeddah, where trends did not occur and change so swiftly, mainly due to its large population of nearly four million in contrast to Doha's small Qatari community. During the first few months of living here, everyone was absolutely insane over Sugar and Spice, a bakery that had just recently opened. After that, it was Shake Shack's burgers and fries, which had opened a short while after Villaggio Mall's much awaited reopening. Soon after trying out my first Shake Shack burger in December, believing I had reached the very pinnacle of ultimate coolness, I realized that this cavewoman was too late to leave her cave, as the trend had moved on to (once again) the recently opened Magnolia Bakery.

Obvious picture is obvious.

      It was then that I decided to investigate whatever patterns of social behavior that could emerge with this repeated conspicuous consumption. First and foremost, it is interesting to note that this particular form of conspicuous consumption manifests differently in Qatar than more common forms of conspicuous consumption (such as purchasing luxury goods, for instance.) The consumption of food is not only limited to Qataris; people of different social classes also have access to these foods (though they are significantly pricier than other options, which could discourage middle-class customers.) Instead, Qataris conspicuously consume these foods as a way of "keeping up with the trend", or merely out of curiosity, because store openings cause a rather big commotion in the rather small community of Qataris. This conspicuous consumption can also manifest into a form of conspicuous leisure, with many social events or gathering centering around these "trends" and/or recent openings.

Cheesecakes and Magnolia Bakery's specialty: Banana pudding.

Muffins, cakes, and cupcakes, after a driver came in and raided
the previously full selection for his Qatari employers.

      
      To be honest, I was somewhat afraid that I would arrive to the bakery only to find no apparent pattern of social behavior, but my worry was absolutely unnecessary. I discovered several interesting patterns of social behavior associated with this conspicuous consumption. These behaviors can be divided amongst two categories of social rankings: Qataris and foreigners (specifically Filipinos, Europeans, and Americans).

       When there is an all-female Qatari group, they almost always sit in the farthest, most isolated spot in the bakery. They tend to order several slices of "big" sweets such as cakes and pies, alongside several hot drinks. Other women simply purchase several large cakes for take away. Qatari men, on the other hand, sit as close as possible to the entrance, but still attempt to generally isolate themselves from others. Some Qatari men also purchase cakes for take away, but they splurge significantly more than their female counterparts. For instance, one Qatari man purchased cakes for nearly 600 Qatari Riyals (possibly a public display of wealth?)

      Foreigners generally have a more casual attitude about the bakery. Unlike the Qataris, who seem to want to savor every bite and remain in the bakery for as long as possible, foreigners are hastier, with the majority of them purchasing sweets for take away rather than eating them inside the bakery. The few foreigners who did eat inside Magnolia Bakery, though, demonstrated different behavior than the Qataris. The majority of them would order smaller sweets, such as cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. All these sweets were shared, and some even shared drinks. It is interesting to note that all foreign children sat next to their parents, and were only given small portions of the shared sweets. On the other hand, all Qatari children sat in front of their parents and had their own sweets, while other children were accompanied by a nanny/nannies or left to wander about in the bakery. 

      What makes this public form of consumption and leisure conspicuous to Qataris is their behavior and approach towards it. Young Qataris are more serious and passionate about the experience, so to speak, posting both Twitter statuses and Instragram photos retelling their experience. They also have a tendency to splurge at these trendy locations, buying several expensive food items at once, which is very much unlike foreigners. Nonetheless, it was quite fascinating to notice these two highly contrasting behaviors between two different social classes within a single bakery, in a country as small as Qatar.

Yo, Magnolia Bakery. I'm really happy for your
sweets, and I'ma let you finish. But my grandma
makes the best sweets of ALL TIME! ALL TIME!

Friends With Money

Friends With Money, a film written and directed by Nicole Holofcener in 2006. Friends with money represents different lifestyles, relationships and the problems a couple can face. The film features four female friends from different social classes.



Social class was expressed by wealth, education and occupations. The first scene in the movie was a scene of Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) cleaning houses. We saw Christine (Catherine Keener) in her office writing , which gave us an idea of her job as a television writer. Jane (Frances McDormand) the third character works as fashion designer. Franny (Joan Cusack) a housewife who does charity work. In all three occupations, social class was clearly displayed, where Olivia from the lower class, Christine and Jane from the middle class and Franny from the upper class. Wealth was the result of a good job. At some point in the movie they were delivering the idea of the more wealthy you are the less problems you have, and we saw that when Christine and Jane were talking about Franny and Matt (Franny’s husband)’s relationship and how they have a problem-free life.



Conspicuous consumption also took a place in this movie, we saw Franny’s husband buying their daughter a 95-dollar shoes, Jane’s husband buying her a fancy handbag for her birthday and Olivia’s addiction with Lancôme products.



Conspicuous leisure was shown in different ways through the restaurants they go to, buying tables in fundraisers events, women wearing designers’ dresses and jewelries and men wearning elegant suites and ties.

Conspicuous Consumption in Sociology

I agree with Karl Marx that class conflict is the engine of social change and historical development. You can find many examples that serve as a proof of Karl Marx’s theory, whether it was here in Qatar, or any other part of the world. In a democratic society where social mobility is possible, people in lower classes work hard to earn the best education to later get a great job and be part of the highbrow culture.

Particularly in Qatar, people are in a constant struggle to improve their social class. They would do all it takes to “up-grade” their status. Some families would go as far as taking massive loans to purchase expensive cars that they obviously can’t afford. Here in Qatar, people indulge in conspicuous consumption, a sociology term that means that they purchase something in an attempt to display high status or class through the consumption of highbrow culture, luxury goods and services.

One cannot believe the lengths some people will go to just to show off their new house, car or even something as simple as their cell phone. How often do you see a person walking while holding his/her blackberry instead of keeping it in the bag or the purse? I’m guessing that you witnessed that a lot. Although the reasonable thing for a person is to keep his/her cell phone in the bag, these people will never quit showcasing their blackberry mobiles whenever they get the chance to!

I have to mention that this sort of action does not show that you belong to the upper class or you’re filthy rich. No, this just screams to me that you’re a poor or a middle class person who probably used up most of your savings just to purchase this blackberry of yours, which clearly indicates that you’re not used to buying luxurious things because people who can afford luxurious do so with ease. People who belong in the upper class probably won’t struggle financially this month just because they purchased a simple phone that only costs something around or even less than 2400 QR. People who are filthy rich have more money than they could count. My advice to such people is as follows, people if you want to brag or showoff then at least do brag about something that says ”I’m rich” not something that screams “I’m dying to look rich”. Of course ideally, people shouldn’t brag, but at least it would be more understandable if a guy bragged about his new Bugatti or new villa that is located in Palm Jumeirah or something.

Another example that shows the effects of conspicuous consumption is the sudden huge demand on the Mercedes-Benz G55 in the Gulf region, after the ruler of Dubai Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid appeared in a national event driving a G55. Many Emiratis and citizens of neighboring countries wanted to own a G55 to demonstrate to others that they don’t belong in the lowbrow culture because they can afford to buy a Sheik’s car.