Comments on: More on the new mixing http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:43:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html/comment-page-1#comment-6776 Grant Sat, 29 Jan 2005 18:07:37 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1027#comment-6776 Will, thanks for the clarification. Grant AH, First two points are exactly right. "uniqueness and conformity all at the same time" and "keeping it real" strike me as right on target. On the last point, I am calling this the Diderot effect, after the essay Diderot wrote on the effects of his new dressing gown. There's a reference here, if you're interested. Very apt points. Thanks, Grant Will, thanks for the clarification. Grant

AH, First two points are exactly right. “uniqueness and conformity all at the same time” and “keeping it real” strike me as right on target. On the last point, I am calling this the Diderot effect, after the essay Diderot wrote on the effects of his new dressing gown. There’s a reference here, if you’re interested. Very apt points. Thanks, Grant

]]> By: AH http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html/comment-page-1#comment-6775 AH Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:16:34 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1027#comment-6775 And more: One way class stratification was enforced in the past was that you couldn't do just part of the luxury deal. If you had a nice house but a ratty car, or vice versa, you were marked as noveau riche or worse. It was considered bad manners to go to an expensive restaurant in cheap clothes. So in part it is the breakdown of that authoritarian enforcement of who "belongs" in the class, or keeping the gestalt whole. There's no need to labor the contemporary breakdown of authoritarian enforcement of much of anything. And more: One way class stratification was enforced in the past was that you couldn’t do just part of the luxury deal. If you had a nice house but a ratty car, or vice versa, you were marked as noveau riche or worse. It was considered bad manners to go to an expensive restaurant in cheap clothes.

So in part it is the breakdown of that authoritarian enforcement of who “belongs” in the class, or keeping the gestalt whole. There’s no need to labor the contemporary breakdown of authoritarian enforcement of much of anything.

]]> By: AH http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html/comment-page-1#comment-6774 AH Fri, 28 Jan 2005 06:52:54 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1027#comment-6774 The thing about mixing is that it allows for uniqueness and conformity all at the same time. If I have a Prada hat and a Gap shirt, and my friend has a Gap hat and Prada shoes, we're in the same fashion niche, but not identical as we would almost definitely be in all Ralph Lauren. Also, it's a superficial gesture toward "keeping it real," a big meme for the coming-up generations. "See, I didn't get it from The Man. I put it together myself!" The thing about mixing is that it allows for uniqueness and conformity all at the same time. If I have a Prada hat and a Gap shirt, and my friend has a Gap hat and Prada shoes, we’re in the same fashion niche, but not identical as we would almost definitely be in all Ralph Lauren.

Also, it’s a superficial gesture toward “keeping it real,” a big meme for the coming-up generations. “See, I didn’t get it from The Man. I put it together myself!”

]]> By: Anonymous http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html/comment-page-1#comment-6773 Anonymous Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:42:01 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1027#comment-6773 There is no Honda Excel. It's Hyundai! There is no Honda Excel. It’s Hyundai!

]]> By: Will Wilkinson http://cultureby.com/2005/01/more_on_the_new.html/comment-page-1#comment-6772 Will Wilkinson Thu, 27 Jan 2005 13:41:52 +0000 http://localhost/wp_culture/?p=1027#comment-6772 There is no Honda Excel. It's Hyundai! There is no Honda Excel. It’s Hyundai!

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