Fountaindale Public Library

Status and culture, how our desire for social rank creates taste, identity, art, fashion, and constant change, W. David Marx

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages [277]-330) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Status and culture

bibliography

1281244441

W. David Marx

how our desire for social rank creates taste, identity, art, fashion, and constant change

"An examination of how individuals strive for social status and how this creates our culture as a whole Contrary to belief, status signaling isn't just the province of the immature or insecure but a fundamental human need to secure social standing. It drives our behavior, forms our tastes, determines what we buy, and ultimately shapes who we are. It's what's behind "cool" and what drives fashion, music, food, sports, slang, travel, hairstyles, and dog breeds--and even the outsize influence of unpopular things with the "right" audience. In Status and Culture, W. David Marx weaves together history, psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, philosophy, linguistics, semiotics, cultural theory, literary theory, art history, media studies, and neuroscience to reveal for the first time the inner workings of status. While there have been some explorations in the past of how status needs affect our individual behavior, Status and Culture seeks to go one step deeper and link the behavior of individuals to the formation of our broader culture. Marx examines three fundamental questions: Why do individuals cluster around arbitrary behaviors and take deep meaning from them? How do distinct styles, conventions, and sensibilities emerge? Why do we change behaviors over time and why do some behaviors stick around? Answering these long-standing mysteries then provides us with new perspectives for understanding the ephemeral and often baffling nature of internet culture. Status and Culture is a book that will appeal to business people, students, aspiring artists, and anyone who has ever wondered why things become popular or why they often feel pressured to go against their personal tastes. The reader will gain an understanding of the general rules that can be applied to everyday life and feel empowered by better appreciating the effect of social influence on their choices"--, Provided by publisher

Introduction: The grand mystery of culture and the status taboo -- Part one. Status and the individual -- The basics of status -- Conventions and status value -- Signaling and status symbols -- Taste, authenticity, and identity -- Part two. Status and creativity -- Classes and sensibilities -- Subcultures and countercultures -- Art -- Part three. Status and cultural change -- Fashion cycles -- History and continuity -- Part four. Status and culture in the twentieth century -- The internet age -- Status equality and cultural creativity

adult