Veblen would more examples today than when he was alive.  My explanation is that with advertising on television (and elsewhere) status emulation has become "industrialized."

I occasionally teach video creation.  I have sworn that with my next class, I intend to get a DVCAM into everyone's hands and assign everyone to go out a shoot at least 10 examples of conspicuous consumption which we could cut together into a montage.  A clever student could complete such an assignment in 30 minutes.

"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"