Keeping up with the Joneses

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"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a popular catchphrase in many parts of the English-speaking world. It refers to the desire to be seen as good as one's neighbours or contemporaries using the comparative benchmarks of social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.

According to The Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson, the origin of this phrase is rooted in the popular comic strip of the same name created by cartoonist Arthur R. "Pop" Momand. The strip debuted in 1913, ran in American newspapers for 28 years, and eventually was adapted into books, films, and musical comedies. The "Joneses" of the title were neighbors of the strip's main characters, and were spoken of but never actually seen in person.

It is possible that Momand named them in reference to George Frederic and Lucretia Stevens Rhinelander Jones, parents of writer Edith Newbold Jones Wharton; it could also be due to the fact that "Jones" is a very common name, implying a majority of people (hence the expression).

1 TV and Movies
2 Games
3 Variations
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] TV and Movies

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

In the film Mona Lisa Smile, Julia Roberts' character attends the high society wedding of Kirsten Dunst's character. Other wedding attendees include, as it is pointed out to Roberts' character, the Joneses of "Keeping up with the Joneses."

Spoilers end here.

A related phrase is Keeping up Appearances, which is also the title of a British sitcom on this theme.

In July 2005, BBC One ran a short daytime series called Keeping up with the Joneses in which two families compete against each other in an American-style yard sale to see who can sell the most from their households of clutter. The show was presented by Jeremy Milnes (4 episodes) and Nadia Sawalha (1 episode) with antiques expert Mark Franks. It was produced by Leopard Films, makers of "Cash In The Attic" and "Car Booty".

The phrase was used as a tagline in the theatrical trailer for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

[edit] Games

The computer game Jones in the Fast Lane alludes to this term in its title and gameplay.

[edit] Variations

"Keeping up with the Gateses" is a modern variation of this phrase. It refers to the desire to live a lifestyle comparable to the multi-billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates. Such desires are fueled by the portrayal of the spending habits of the rich on television and in magazines. Many attempt to adopt some aspect of this high-end lifestyle despite the lack of comparable personal income.