CONSUMERISM OF LEISURE CLASS IN SINGAPORE IN KEVIN KWAN’S CRAZY RICH ASIANS: A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

Abstract

This research entitled “Consumerism of Leisure Class in Singapore in Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians: A Sociological Approach”. The purpose of this study is to analyze the leisure class reflected in Singapore in the novel Crazy Rich Asians. In addition, the aim of this research is to reveal the consumerism of leisure class in Crazy Rich Asians. This novel contained the aspect about the style of consumer in Singapore.
 This study used the mimetic approach by M.H. Abrams. The research used qualitative method to analyze the data. This study is used two main concepts of theory of leisure class by Thorstein Veblen, these are conspicuous leisure and conspicuous consumption. The research applied the data of Singaporeans leisure class in the book Understanding Singaporeans: Values, Lifestyle, Aspirations and Consumption Behaviours by Keng et al. This study also applied the concept of uniquely Singaporean mindset in the book entitled The Cult of the Luxury Brand: Inside Asia’s Love affair with Luxury by Chadha and Paul as a tool to analyze the consumerism of leisure class in the novel Crazy Rich Asians.
 In this study, the researcher found two main results. First, this study indicated conspicuous leisure as a signal of leisure class in Crazy Rich Asians based on seven leisure activities of Singaporean. They are sports, social, self-improvement, various charity, travel, home, and other activities. Second, the study discover the consumerism of leisure class in the novel Crazy Rich Asians and uniquely Singaporean mindset as a main result of consumerism of leisure class in Singapore reflected in the novel Crazy Rich Asians.