bourdieu distinction intro
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PierreBourdieuDistinction:ASocialCritiqueoftheJudgmentofTaste.London:Routledge,1979;Cambridge:HarvardUniversityPress,1984.(FirstFrenchedition,LaDistinction,critiquesocialedujugement,Paris:Minuit,1979.)Excerpt:Introduction
Yousaidit,mygoodknight!Thereoughttobelawstoprotectthebodyofacquiredknowledge.Takeoneofourgoodpupils,forexample:modestanddiligent,fromhisearliestgrammarclasseshe'skeptalittlenotebookfullofphrases.Afterhangingonthelipsofhisteachersfortwentyyears,he'smanagedtobuildupanintellectualstockintrade;doesn'titbelongtohimasifitwereahouse,ormoney?
PaulClaudel,Lesoulierdesatin,Day111,SceneiiThereisaneconomyofculturalgoods,butithasaspecificlogic.Sociologyendeavours
toestablish
the
conditions
in
which
the
consumers
of
cultural
goods,
and
their
taste
for
them,
areproduced,andatthesametimetodescribethedifferentwaysofappropriatingsuchof
theseobjectsasareregardedataparticularmomentasworksofart,andthesocialconditions
oftheconstitutionofthemodeofappropriationthatisconsideredlegitimate.Butonecannot
fullyunderstandculturalpracticesunless'culture',intherestricted,normativesenseofordinary
usage,isbroughtbackinto'culture''intheanthropologicalsense,andtheelaboratedtastefor
themostrefinedobjectsisreconnectedwiththeelementarytastefortheflavoursoffood.
Whereastheideologyofcharismaregardstasteinlegitimatecultureasagiftofnature,
scientificobservationshowsthatculturalneedsaretheproductofupbringingandeducation:
surveysestablishthatallculturalpractices(museumvisits,concertgoing,readingetc.),and
preferencesin
literature,
painting
or
music,
are
closely
linked
to
educational
level
(measured
by
qualificationsorlengthofschooling)andsecondarilytosocialorigin.'Therelativeweightof
homebackgroundandofformaleducation(theeffectivenessanddurationofwhichareclosely
dependentonsocialorigin)variesaccordingtotheextenttowhichthedifferentcultural
practicesarerecognizedandtaughtbytheeducationalsystem,andtheinfluenceofsocialorigin
isstrongestotherthingsbeingequalin'extracurricular'andavantgardeculture.Tothesocially
recognizedhierarchyofthearts,andwithineachofthem,ofgenres,schoolsorperiods,
correspondsasocialhierarchyoftheconsumers.Thispredisposestastestofunctionasmarkers
of'crass'.Themannerinwhichculturehasbeenacquiredlivesoninthemannerofusingit:the
importanceattachedtomannerscanbeunderstoodonceitisseenthatitisthese
imponderablesofpracticewhichdistinguishthedifferentandrankedmodesofculture
acquisition,earlyorlate,domesticorscholastic,andtheclassesofindividualswhichthey
characterize(suchas'pedants'andmondains).Culturealsohasitstitlesofnobilityawardedby
theeducationalsystemanditspedigrees,measuredbyseniorityinadmissiontothenobility.
Thedefinitionofculturalnobilityisthestakeinastrugglewhichhasgoneon
unceasingly,fromtheseventeenthcenturytothepresentdaybetweengroupsdifferingintheir
ideasofcultureandofthelegitimaterelationtocultureandtoworksofart,andtherefore
differingintheconditionsofacquisitionofwhichthesedispositionsaretheproduct.Eveninthe
classroom,thedominantdefinitionofthelegitimatewayofappropriatingcultureandworksof
artfavoursthosewhohavehadearlyaccesstolegitimateculture,inaculturedhousehold,
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outsideofscholasticdisciplines,sinceevenwithintheeducationalsystemitdevaluesscholarly
knowledgeandinterpretationas'scholastic'oreven'pedantic'infavourofdirectexperience
andsimpledelight.
Thelogicofwhatissometimescalled,intypically'pedantic'language,the'reading'ofa
workofart,offersanobjectivebasisforthisopposition.Consumptionis,inthiscase,astageina
processofcommunication,thatisanactofdeciphering,decoding,whichpresupposespractical
orexplicitmasteryofacipherorcode.Inasense,onecansaythatthecapacitytosee(voir)isa
functionoftheknowledge(savoir),orconcepts,thatis,thewords,thatareavailabletoname
visiblethings,andwhichare,asitwere,programmesforperception.Aworkofarthasmeaning
andinterestonlyforsomeonewhopossessestheculturalcompetence,thatis,thecode,into
whichitisencoded.Theconsciousorunconsciousimplementationofexplicitorimplicit
schemesofperceptionandappreciationwhichconstitutespictorialormusicalcultureisthe
hiddenconditionforrecognizingthestylescharacteristicofaperiod,aschooloranauthor,and,
moregenerally,forthefamiliaritywiththeinternallogicofworksthataestheticenjoyment
presupposes.Abeholderwholacksthespecificcodefeelslostinachaosofsoundsandrhythms,
coloursandlines,withoutrhymeorreason.Nothavinglearnttoadopttheadequatedisposition,
hestops
short
at
what
Erwin
Panofsky
calls
the
'sensible
properties',
perceiving
askin
as
downy
orlaceworkasdelicate,orattheemotionalresonancesarousedbytheseproperties,referring
to'austere'coloursora'joyful'melody.Hecannotmovefromthe'primarystratumofthe
meaningwecangrasponthebasisofourordinaryexperience'tothe'stratumofsecondary
meanings',i.e.,the'levelofthemeaningofwhatissignified'unlesshepossessestheconcepts
whichgobeyondthesensiblepropertiesandwhichidentifythespecificallystylisticpropertiesof
thework.Thustheencounterwithaworkofartisnot'loveatfirstsight'asisgenerally
supposed,andtheactofempathy,Einfuhlung,whichistheartlover'spleasure,presupposesan
actofcognition,adecodingoperation,whichimpliestheimplementationofacognitive
acquirement,aculturalcode.
This
typically
intellectualist
theory
of
artistic
perception
directly
contradicts
the
experienceoftheartloversclosesttothelegitimatedefinition;acquisitionoflegitimateculture
byinsensiblefamiliarizationwithinthefamilycircletendstofavouranenchantedexperienceof
culturewhichimpliesforgettingtheacquisition.The'eye'isaproductofhistoryreproducedby
education.Thisistrueofthemodeofartisticperceptionnowacceptedaslegitimate,thatis,the
aestheticdisposition,thecapacitytoconsiderinandforthemselves,asformratherthan
function,notonlytheworksdesignatedforsuchapprehension,i.e.,legitimateworksofart,but
everythingintheworld,includingculturalobjectswhicharenotyetconsecratedsuchas,atone
time,primitivearts,or,nowadays,popularphotographyorkitschandnaturalobjects.The'pure'
gazeisahistoricalinventionlinkedtotheemergenceofanautonomousfieldofartistic
production,thatis,afieldcapableofimposingitsownnormsonboththeproductionandthe
consumptionofitsproducts.Anartwhich,likeallPostImpressionistpainting,istheproductof
anartistic
intention
which
asserts
the
primacy
of
the
mode
of
representation
over
the
object
of
representationdemandscategoricallyanattentiontoformwhichpreviousartonlydemanded
conditionally.
Thepureintentionoftheartististhatofaproducerwhoaimstobeautonomous,that
is,entirelythemasterofhisproduct,whotendstorejectnotonlythe'programmes'imposeda
prioribyscholarsandscribes,butalsofollowingtheoldhierarchyofdoingandsayingthe
interpretationssuperimposedaposterior)onhiswork.Theproductionofan'openwork',
intrinsicallyanddeliberatelypolysemic,canthusbeunderstoodasthefinalstageinthe
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conquestofartisticautonomybypoetsand,followingintheirfootsteps,bypainters,whohad
longbeenreliantonwritersandtheirworkof'showing'and'illustrating'.Toassertthe
autonomyofproductionistogiveprimacytothatofwhichtheartistismaster,i.e.,form,
manner,style,ratherthanthe'subject',theexternalreferent,whichinvolvessubordinationto
functionsevenifonlythemostelementaryone,thatofrepresenting,signifying,saying
something.Italsomeansarefusaltorecognizeanynecessityotherthanthatinscribedinthe
specifictraditionoftheartisticdisciplineinquestion:theshiftfromanartwhichimitatesnature
toanartwhichimitatesart,derivingfromitsownhistorytheexclusivesourceofitsexperiments
andevenofitsbreakswithtradition.Anartwhicheverincreasinglycontainsreferencetoits
ownhistorydemandstobeperceivedhistorically;itaskstobereferrednottoanexternal
referent,therepresentedordesignated'reality',buttotheuniverseofpastandpresentworks
ofart.Likeartisticproduction,inthatitisgeneratedinafield,aestheticperceptionis
necessarilyhistoricalinasmuchasitisdifferential,relational,attentivetothedeviations(ecarts)
whichmakestyles.Likethesocallednaivepainterwho,operatingoutsidethefieldandits
specifictraditionsremainsexternaltothehistoryofart,the'naive'spectatorcannotattaina
specificgraspofworksofartwhichonlyhavemeaningorvalueinrelationtothespecifichistory
ofanartistictradition.Theaestheticdispositiondemandedbytheproductsofahighly
autonomousfield
of
production
is
inseparable
from
aspecific
cultural
competence.
This
historicalculturefunctionsasaprincipleofpertinencewhichenablesonetoidentify,amongthe
elementsofferedtothegaze,allthedistinctivefeaturesandonlythese,byreferringthem,
consciouslyorunconsciously,totheuniverseofpossiblealternatives.Thismasteryis,forthe
mostpart,acquiredsimplybycontactwithworksofartthatis,throughanimplicitlearning
analogoustothatwhichmakesitpossibletorecognizefamiliarfaceswithoutexplicitrulesor
criteriaandit,generallyremainsatapracticallevel:itiswhatmakesitpossibletoidentify
styles,i.e.,modesofexpressioncharacteristicofaperiod,acivilizationoraschool,without
havingtodistinguishclearlyorstateexplicitly,thefeatureswhichconstitutetheiroriginality.
Everythingseemstosuggestthatevenamongprofessionalvalues,thecriteriawhichdefinethe
stylisticpropertiesofthe'typicalworks'onwhichalltheirjudgmentsarebasedusuallyremain
implicit.
Thepuregazeimpliesabreakwiththeordinaryattitudetowardstheworld,which,
giventheconditionsinwhichitisperformed,isalsoasocialseparation.OrtegayGassetcanbe
believedwhenheattributestomodernartasystematicrefusalofallthatis'human',i.e.,
generic,commonasopposedtodistinctive,ordistinguishednamely,thepassions,emotions
andfeelingswhich'ordinary'peopleinvestintheir'ordinary'lives.Itisasifthe'popular
aesthetic'(thequotationmarksaretheretoindicatethatthisisanaesthetic'initself'not'for
itself')werebasedontheaffirmationofthecontinuitybetweenartandlife,whichimpliesthe
subordinationofformtofunction.Thisisseenclearlyintheeaseofthenovelandespeciallythe
theaterwheretheworkingclassaudiencerefusesanysortofformalexperimentationandallthe
effectswhich,byintroducingadistancefromtheacceptedconventions(asregardsscenery,plot
etc.),tend
to
distance
the
spectator,
preventing
him
from
getting
involved
and
fully
identifying
withthecharacters
(IamthinkingofBrechtian'alienation'orthedisruptionofplotinthenouveauroman).In
contrasttodetachmentanddisinterestednesswhichaesthetictheoryregardsastheonlywayof
recognizingtheworkofartforwhatitis,i.e.,autonomous,selbstandig,the'popularaesthetic'ignoresorrefusestherefusalof'facile'involvementand'vulgar'enjoyment,arefusalwhichis
thebasisofthetasteforformalexperiment.Andpopularjudgementsofpaintingsor
photographsspringfroman'aesthetic'(infeetitisanethos)whichistheexactoppositeofthe
Kantianaesthetic.Whereas,inordertograspthespecificityoftheaestheticjudgement,Kant
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strovetodistinguishthatwhichpleasesfromthatwhichgratifiesand,moregenerally,to
distinguishdisinterestedness,thesoleguarantorofthespecificallyaestheticqualityof
contemplation,fromtheinterestofreasonwhichdefinestheGood,workingclasspeopleexpect
everyimagetoexplicitlyperformafunction,ifonlythatofasign,andtheirjudgementsmake
reference,oftenexplicitly,tothenormsofmoralityoragreeableness.Whetherrejectingor
praising,theirappreciationalwayshasanethicalbasis.
Populartasteappliestheschemesoftheethos,whichpertainintheordinary
circumstancesoflife,tolegitimateworksofart,andsoperformsasystematicreductionofthe
thingsofarttothethingsoflife.Theveryseriousness(ornaively)whichthistasteinvestsin
fictionsandrepresentationsdemonstratesacontrariothatpuretasteperformsasuspensionof'naive'involvementwhichisonedimensionofa'quasiludic'relationshipwiththenecessitiesof
theworld.Intellectualscouldbesaidtobelieveintherepresentationliterature,theatre,
paintingmorethaninthethingsrepresented,whereasthepeoplechieflyexpect
representationsandtheconventionswhichgovernthemtoallowthemtobelieve'naively'inthe
thingsrepresented.Thepureaestheticisrootedinanethic,orrather,anethosofelective
distancefromthenecessitiesofthenaturalandsocialworld,whichmaytaketheformofmoral
agnosticism(visible
when
ethical
transgression
becomes
an
artistic
partipris)orofan
aestheticismwhichpresentstheaestheticdispositionasauniversallyvalidprincipleandtakes
thebourgeoisdenialofthesocialworldtoitslimit.Thedetachmentofthepuregazecannotbe
dissociatedfromageneraldispositiontowardstheworldwhichistheparadoxicalproductof
conditioningbynegativeeconomicnecessitiesalifeofeasethattendstoinduceanactive
distancefromnecessity.
Althoughartobviouslyoffersthegreatestscopetotheaestheticdisposition,thereisno
areaofpracticeinwhichtheaimofpurifying,refiningandsublimatingprimaryneedsand
impulsescannotassertitselfnoareainwhichthestylizationoflife,thatis,theprimacyofforms
overfunction,ofmannerovermatter,doesnotproducethesameeffects.Andnothingismore
distinctive,
more
distinguished,
than
the
capacity
to
confer
aesthetic
status
on
objects
that
are
banaloreven'common'(becausethe'common'peoplemakethemtheirown,especiallyfor
aestheticpurposes),ortheabilitytoapplytheprinciplesofa'pure'aesthetictothemost
everydaychoicesofeverydaylife,e.g.,incooking,clothingordecoration,completelyreversing
thepopulardispositionwhichannexesaestheticstoethics.
Infact,throughtheeconomicandsocialconditionswhichtheypresuppose,the
differentwaysofrelatingtorealitiesandfictions,ofbelievinginfictionsandtherealitiesthey
simulate,withmoreorlessdistanceanddetachment,areverycloselylinkedtothedifferent
possiblepositionsinsocialspaceand,consequently,boundupwiththesystemsofdispositions
(habitus)characteristicofthedifferentclassesandclassfractions.Tasteclassifies,andit
classifiestheclassifier.Socialsubjects,classifiedbytheirclassifications,distinguishthemselves
bythe
distinctions
they
make,
between
the
beautiful
and
the
ugly,
the
distinguished
and
the
vulgar,inwhichtheirpositionintheobjectiveclassificationsisexpressedorbetrayed.And
statisticalanalysisdoesindeedshowthatoppositionssimilarinstructuretothosefoundin
culturalpracticesalsoappearineatinghabits.Theantithesisbetweenquantityandquality,
substanceandform,correspondstotheoppositionlinkedtodifferentdistancesfromnecessity
betweenthetasteofnecessity,whichfavoursthemost'filling'andmosteconomicalfoods,and
thetasteoflibertyorluxurywhichshiftstheemphasistothemanner(ofpresenting,serving,
eatingetc.)andtendstousestylizedformstodenyfunction.
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Thescienceoftasteandofculturalconsumptionbeginswithatransgressionthatisin
nowayaesthetic:ithastoabolishthesacredfrontierwhichmakeslegitimatecultureaseparate
universe,inordertodiscovertheintelligiblerelationswhichuniteapparentlyincommensurable
'choices',suchaspreferencesinmusicandfood,paintingandsport,literatureandhairstyle.This
barbarousreintegrationofaestheticconsumptionintotheworldofordinaryconsumption
abolishestheopposition,whichhasbeenthebasisofhighaestheticssinceKant,betweenthe
'tasteofsense'andthe'tasteofreflection',andbetweenfacilepleasure,pleasurereducedtoa
pleasureofthesenses,andpurepleasure,pleasurepurifiedofpleasure,whichispredisposedto
becomeasymbolofmoralexcellenceandameasureofthecapacityforsublimationwhich
definesthetrulyhumanman.Theculturewhichresultsfromthismagicaldivisionissacred.
Culturalconsecrationdoesindeedconferontheobjects,personsandsituationsittouches,a
sortofontologicalpromotionakintoatransubstantiation.Proofenoughofthisisfoundinthe
twofollowingquotations,whichmightalmosthavebeenwrittenforthedelightofthe
sociologist:
'Whatstruckmemostisthis:nothingcouldheobsceneonthestageofourpremier
theatre,andtheballerinasoftheOpera,evenasnakeddancers,sylphs,spritesor
Bacchae,retain
an
inviolable
purity.'
'Thereareobscenepostures:thestimulatedintercoursewhichoffendstheeye.Clearly,
itisimpossibletoapprove,althoughtheinterpolationofsuchgesturesindanceroutines
doesgivethemasymbolicandaestheticqualitywhichisabsentfromtheintimate
scenesthecinemadailyflauntsbeforeitsspectators'eyes...Asforthenudescene,
whatcanonesay,exceptthatitisbriefandtheatricallynotveryeffective?Iwillnotsay
itischasteorinnocent,fornothingcommercialcanbesodescribed.Letussayitisnot
shocking,andthatthechiefobjectionisthatitservesasaboxofficegimmick....InHair,
thenakednessfailstobesymbolic.'
The
denial
of
lower,
coarse,
vulgar,
venal,
servile
in
a
word,
natural
enjoyment,
which
constitutesthesacredsphereofculture,impliesanaffirmationofthesuperiorityofthosewho
canbesatisfiedwiththesublimated,refined,disinterested,gratuitous,distinguishedpleasures
foreverclosedtotheprofane.Thatiswhyartandculturalconsumptionarepredisposed,
consciouslyanddeliberatelyornot,tofulfillasocialfunctionoflegitimatingsocialdifferences.
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