IntheUnitedStatesmanyhavebeentoldthatanyonecanbecomerichandsuccessfulifheworkshardandhassomegoodluck.Yetwhenonebecomesrichhewantspeopletoknowit.Andevenifhedoesnotbecomeveryrichhewantspeopletothinkthatheis.Thatiswhat"KeepingupwiththeJoneses"isabout.Itisthestoryofsomeonewhotriestolookasrichassuccessfulandashisneighbors.
Theexpressionwasfirstusedin1913byayoungAmericanbythenameofArthurMomand.Hetoldthisstoryabouthimself:Hebeganearning$125aweekattheageof23.Thatwasalotofmoneyinthosedays.YoungMomandwasveryproudofhisriches.HegotmarriedandmovedwithhiswifetoaverywealthyneighborhoodoutsideNewYorkCity.Butjustmovingtherewasnotenough.Whenhesawthatrichpeoplerodehorses.Momandwenthorsebackridingeveryday.WhenhesawthatrichpeoplehadservantsMomandandhiswifealsohiredaservantandgavebigpartiesfortheirnewneighbors.
Itwaslikearacebutonecouldneverfinishthisracebecauseonewasalwaystryingtokeepup.Momandandhiswifecouldnotdothat.Theraceendedforthemwhentheycouldnolongerpayfortheirnewwayoflife.TheylefttheirwealthyneighborhoodandmovedbacktoanapartmentinNewYorkCity.
Momandlookedaroundhimandnoticedthatmanypeopledothingsjusttokeepupwiththeirneighbors.Hesawthefunnysideofitandstartedtowriteaseriesofshortstories.Hecalledit"KeepingupwiththeJoneses"because"Jones"isaverycommonnameintheUnitedStates."KeepingupwiththeJoneses"cametomeankeepingupwiththepeoplearoundyou.Momand'sseriesappearedindifferentnewspapersacrossthecountryforover28years.
PeopleneverseemtogettiredofkeepingupwiththeJoneses.Thatisonereasonwhytheyreadthe"right"booksgotothe"right"universitiesandeatinthe"right"restaurants.
Everycityhasanareawherepeoplewanttolivebecauseotherswillthinkbetterofthemiftheydo.Andthereare"Joneses"ineverycityoftheworld.ButonemustgettiredoftryingtokeepupwiththeJonesesbecausenomatterwhatonedoesMrJonesseemsalwaystobeahead.