Lifestyles

= behav. that symbolizes social position and makes it visible (Ganzeboom)

  • expresses social stratification

  • sometimes usual causes like age, gender, education, income are not able to adequately predict behav.

Market research - identifies groups with similar lifestyles

  • uses lifestyle typology for simplicity (few groups, easy to understand and communicate)

  • (-) unclear theoretical base, more explorative than explanatory

  • (-) suggests simple group typology whereas there may be many relevant typologies and fluid boundaries

Stratification research (Ganzeboom, Bourdieu, DiMaggio)

  • lifestyles = consequence of social position - dif. classes express distinct social position via distinguishable lifestyles

  • dif. in taste usually learned/socialized in youth

Why do elites participate more in culture?

  1. Status acquisition - elites show “superior” position by displaying taste for complex activities and products; more resources, cultural codes (Bourdieu), money and leisure time are needed to appreciate it

  • displaying mastership of cultural codes gives social approval and status (lower status ppl wouldn’t know them)

  1. Info capacity - capacity to digest and appreciate complex info, depends on

  • complexity of activ.

  • one’s education and training: social background (kids of cultural parents go to certain schools together), selection (smart kids learn more easily to appreciate high culture), instruction (certain schools have museum trips)

  1. Restrictions - time and money

  • high income → less time

  • more leisure → less money

  • online cultural consumption diminishes restrictions

Bourdieu - Status maintenance theory

  • cultural capital: knowledge of codes necessary to interpret and appreciate certain cultural manifestations and be seen doing so

  • distinction: capactiy to distinguish, discern and notice fine dividing lines

Cultural capital

  • mastering etiquette → education & skills/ human capital & credentials

  • kids gain it from family or school - schools also familiarize kids with “the rules of the game” for your social class (e.g. study habits, approaching teachers etc)

  • legacy admissions to Ivy league colleges

  • Bourdieu: working class kids lack the “self-assurance of legitimate membership and the ease given by familiarity”

  • used by elites to overturn general equalization of life chances due to modernization

Habitus

  • acquired internalized codes of conduct and appreciation in your class-based field

  • e.g members of dominant class practice aesthetic gaze (one refers to other works not real life; focus is on style, composition, not subject matter) when looking at art to distance themselves from others

Shifting modes of elite distinction (Friedman and Reeves)

  • elites try to maintain distinctions by changing activities and being more omnivorous