Taste, Class, Commodity (5)

8/3/2019 Taste, Class, Commodity (5)

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TASTE, CLASS, COMMODITY

MK. Advertising & Consumer Culture


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TASTE

While tasteis often understood as a biologicalconcept, it can also be reasonably studied as asocial or cultural phenomenon.

Taste is about drawing distinctions between

things such as styles, manners, consumergoods and works of art.

Social inquiry of taste is about the humanability to judge what is beautiful, good and

proper.Social and cultural phenomena concerning

taste are closely associated to social relationsand dynamics between people.


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IMMANUEL KANTON TASTE

Critique of Judgment:

In his aesthetic philosophy, Kant denies anystandard of a good taste

Beauty is not a property of any object, but anaesthetic judgment based on a subjectivefeeling

Taste is both personal and beyond reasoning,and therefore disputing over matters of tastenever reaches any universality.


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PIERRE BOURDIEUON TASTE

Distinction: A Social Critique of JudgmentThe legitimate taste of the society is the taste

of the ruling classHe rejects the idea of genuine good taste, as

the legitimate taste is merely a class taste.Distinctions are never simply statements of

equal difference: they entail claims to authority,authenticity, and the presumed inferiority ofothers

Akses thd cultural capital menentukan seleraseseorang

Tdk semua orang memiliki akses thd culturalcapital


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PIERRE BOURDIEUON TASTE2

Cultural capital consists of accumulatedknowledge and competence for makingcultural distinctions.

To possess cultural capital is a potentialadvantage for social action, providing accessto education credentials, occupations andsocial affiliation

The upper-class taste is characterized byrefined and subtle distinctions, and it placesintrinsic value on aesthetic experience


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This particular kind of taste was appreciatedas the legitimate basis for good taste insociety

Consequently, members of the middleclasses appeared to practice cultural

goodwill in emulating the high-classmanners and lifestyles.


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The taste of the middle classes is not definedas much by authentic appreciation foraesthetics as by a desire to compete in socialstatus.

In contrast, the popular taste of the workingclasses is defined by an imperative forchoosing the necessary.

Not much importance is placed on aesthetics


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TASTE & CLASS

In expressing and displaying taste throughvarious everyday actions, people reveal muchinformation about their positions in socialhierarchies.

People may strategically employ distinctionsof taste as resources in maintaining andredefining their social status

People desire to distinguish themselves from

those with lower status in the social hierarchyand, secondly, that people will imitate those inhigher positions.


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GEORG SIMMELON FASHION

Members of the upper classes are inclined tosignal their superiority, and they act as theinitiators of new trends.

But upper-class taste is soon imitated by themiddle classes.

As goods, appearances, manners etc.conceived as high-class status markersbecome popular enough, they lose theirfunction to differentiate. So, the upper classeshave to originate yet another stylisticinnovations


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THORSTEIN VEBLENON LEISURE CLASS

He argues that distancing oneself fromhardships of productive labor has alwaysbeen the conclusive sign of high social status.

To demonstrate non-productivity, members of

the so called leisure class wasteconspicuously both time and goods.

The lower social stratum are trying their bestto imitate the non-productive lifestyle of the

upper classes, even though they do not reallyhave means for catching up


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COMMODITY AESTHETICS

The concept of aesthetics has been theinterest of philosophers such as Plato, Hume,& Kant, who understood aesthetics assomething pure and searched the essence ofbeauty, or, the ontology of aesthetics.

Di era masy konsumen, komoditas pundikatakan memiliki estetikanya sendiri

Komoditas jg dianggap sbg produk yg

berestetika (ingat konsep Marx ttg use &exchange value, serta konsep Baudrillard ttgsign value)


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COMMODITY AESTHETICS2

Konsumsi thd barang/ produk lantas dinilai sbgtindakan yg berestetika

Kemampuan utk membedakan produk yg dianggapberestetika dan yg tdk lantas erat dikaitkan dg kelas

sosial Hanya kelas sosial tertentu yg dianggap pny selera yg

baik, krn mampu mengkonsumsi produk2 yg pnyestetika.


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PERTANYAANUNTUKDISKUSI

Apa yang anda pahami tentang konsep antikonsumerisme? Mengapa hal ini muncul padamasyarakat moderen?

Apa saja yang anda ketahui tentang gerakan anti

konsumerisme? Berikan contoh2 kongkrit tentangberbagai gerakan anti konsumerisme & apa sajayang mereka lakukan?

Apa yang anda pahami tentang konsep sub-kultur(sub-culture)? Coba jelaskan dengan contoh

kongkrit kelompok sub-kultur yang ada dimasyarakat.

Adakah keterkaitan antara sub-kultur dan budayakonsumen? Jelaskan pemahaman anda?

Taste, Class, Commodity (5)

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