Chapter 12

This chapter analyzes how belief in luck encourages people not only to gamble but also to religious observances. Veblen observes that the sportsman is very similar to the religious devotee for participating in superstitious rituals. They both are predisposed to believe that supernatural forces are behind certain sequences of events and are therefore more likely to attach themselves to a specific institution of faith. Furthermore, both the sportsman and the religious devotee have the desire to emulate; they are propelled by their envy or admiration for someone else’s circumstances. This is the case with college athletics: students engaged in sports are notorious for their competitiveness and for being devout believers in some “inscrutable Providence” (194). Therefore, they are, in general, much more likely to proselytize than the rest of the student body. Other traits, such as the ability to accept criticism and chastisement, are also elements that can predispose people to being religiously inclined. Veblen observes that the temperament of the sporting man inclines him to be devout, and the repetitiveness of sport helps people develop habits that emulate religious rituals. Veblen’s second central <a data-internal-link data-link-type="Literary Device" href="https://www.supersummary.com/claim/">claim</a> in this chapter is that piety is on the decline. This is because modern life, characterized by industrial production, is quantitative and dispassionate.

Chapter 12 Summary & Analysis: “Devout Observances”

Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Summary & Analysis: “Survivals of the Non-Invidious Interest”

Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Summary & Analysis: “The Higher Learning as an Expression of the Pecuniary Culture”

Government & Business

Business & Economics

Values & Ideas

Challenging Authority

Society

Class

Social Issues

Humanities

Philosophy, Logic, & Ethics

Politics & Government

Popular Study Guides

Power

Social Sciences

Sociology

Thorstein Veblen

Adult

Book

Nonfiction

Guide

Study Guide

Book Brief

Explore The Theory of the Leisure Class reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

About The Theory of the Leisure Class

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore The Theory Of The Leisure Class and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Theory Of The Leisure Class Summary and Study Guide

Background

Get ready to explore The Theory of the Leisure Class and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

The Theory of the Leisure Class Background

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

The Theory of the Leisure Class Chapters 1-4 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 5-7

The Theory of the Leisure Class Chapters 5-7 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 8-11

The Theory of the Leisure Class Chapters 8-11 Summary & Analysis

Chapters 12-14

The Theory of the Leisure Class Chapters 12-14 Summary & Analysis

keyFigure

Key Figures

The Theory of the Leisure Class Key Figures

theme

Themes

The Theory of the Leisure Class Themes

Index of Terms

The Theory of the Leisure Class Index of Terms

quote

citation

character

Important Quotes

The Theory of the Leisure Class Important Quotes with Page Numbers

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

The Theory of the Leisure Class Essay Topics

The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions

Chapters 12-14Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Featured Collections