Bourdieu

In the first chapter of his book, Bourdieu examines taste’s relationship to class and how taste is affected by education and experience. While I agree with his overall theory, I take issue with his verbiage when referring to taste, culture, and class. I find his repeated use of the phrase “legitimate taste” when referring to what we commonly refer to “highbrow” insulting. Categorizing the most refined level of taste as legitimate makes the assumption that all lesser tastes are illegitimate. There is nothing illegitimate about any level of taste, whether it be an upper-class affinity for classical music and opera or a lower-class fondness for genre fiction and the Jonas Brothers.

I find Bourdieu’s statement that popular music is “totally devoid of artistic ambition or pretension” (16) as rather stuck-up and short-sighted. While music and art that holds popular appeal rarely meets “legitimate” standards, I find it unfair that Bourdieu takes it upon himself to judge the popular artist’s ambitions. Just because a piece of art has mass appeal does not mean that it automatically lacks artistic integrity. While mediocrity may often cause popularity, popularity should not automatically be an indication of mediocrity.

I felt Bourdieu summarized nicely a concept each of our readings so far this semester have tried to explain. “Being the product of the conditionings associated with a particular class of conditions of existence, it [taste] unites all those who are the product of similar conditions while distinguishing them from all others. And it distinguishes in an essential way, since taste is the basis of all that one has – people and things – and all that one is for others, whereby one classifies oneself and is classified by others” (56). Since the upper-class with “legitimate” taste are also the self-appointed arbiters of taste, it stands to reason that they have the most to lose should their tastes mingle with those of the lower classes. The concept of taste distinctions is beneficial only to the upper class who needs to be able to identify themselves as more refined and more enlightened than the lower-class. By ensuring that “legitimate” tastes are the most expensive and achievable only through education, they ensure their place as the world’s cultural elite is secured. As Bourdieu points out, taste is not an innate trait. It is learned and practiced. By ensuring taste distinctions, the high-brow also ensure class distinctions.