"Presents an authoritative account of the nuances and complexities of ukokhothana.... Speaks volumes about the place of aspiration, consumer culture, and masculinity in South Africa."--Mehita Iqani, author of African Luxury Branding and Garbage in Popular Culture "Mnisi shows us a sophisticated worldview expressing the challenges of being human, and being a man through rituals of consumption, performance, and aspiration."--Shepherd Mpofu, UNISA Izikhothane--township youth from impoverished backgrounds who engage in mock battles of conspicuous consumption where luxury items are often destroyed--gained notoriety in South Africa in the early 2000s. Sifiso Mnisi delves into the life of the izikhothane, providing an in-depth account of what it means to be a young man within the ukukhothana (Zulu slang for "boasting") subculture and showing how their seemingly destructive behavior can be a complex way of asserting their masculinity and demanding recognition in a society that has historically dehumanized them. CONTENTS: • Ukukhothana: A Post-Apartheid Subculture. • Academic Perspectives on Ukukhothana. • Consumption, Masculinities, and Izikhothane. • Rehumanization Through Consumption. • Booty on Fire: Looking at Izikhothane Through the Veblen's Lens. • Burning to Consume? Conspicuous Consumption vs. Aspirational Consumption. • On Gender Peformativity: Masculinities and Social Psychology. • Aspirational Masculinities: Consumption, Masculinities, and Being a Good Fella. • Consumption and Social Change. • Conclusion: Is Manhood for Sale?