Distinction (social)

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Distinction is a social force that places different values on different individuals. The criteria for such judgements have always been a matter of controversy and subject to criticism. They are, furthermore, subject to constant change.

In his book La Distinction, which was published in 1979, Pierre Bourdieu describes how those in power define aesthetic concepts such as "taste". His research shows how social class tends to determine a person's likes and interests, and how distinctions based on social class are reinforced in daily life.

The 2004 book The Rebel Sell describes "distinction" as a social arms race, in which social styles are in constant development, and those who do not follow the development become stale.