The rise of ‘conspicuous waiting’: The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

The article explores 'conspicuous waiting,' a modern consumer behavior where Gen Z shares their experiences of waiting in lines on social media, transforming waiting into content. Businesses are reevaluating queues as assets, viewing them as signals of value and opportunities for monetizing attention. Experts like Subodha Kumar and Richard Larson discuss how waiting lines have shifted from being mere costs to part of the consumer experience.