Money, status, power, and sex in nightclubs around the world (with Ashley Mears)
Oct 18, 2023
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Ashley Mears, a sociology professor at Boston University, dives into the intriguing world of nightclubs, exploring how social status and beauty interplay in these elite spaces. She discusses the strategic ways 'whales' buy status without seeming overt, the unique roles of promoters, and the commodification of beauty. The conversation also touches on the racial and gender dynamics at play, revealing how societal scripts shape interactions. Mears highlights the psychological highs of nightlife and the complex navigations of identity in the pursuit of power and acceptance.
Nightclubs exploit gender dynamics and facilitate a performance of masculinity centered around dominance over women and displays of power and wealth.
Ostentation reflects the competitive nature of society and the constant comparison of individuals to those higher up on the social hierarchy.
Nightclubs create spaces where women can show off and belong, but control and profiting from their beauty lies primarily with men.
Deep dives
The Sociology of Nightclubs and Bodily Capital
The podcast episode discusses the sociology of nightclubs and the concept of bodily capital. The speaker, Ashley Mears, explains how nightclubs operate and how they rely on the unpaid labor of beautiful women, often recruited from the fashion modeling industry. The episode explores the dynamics of status, power, and hierarchy within the nightclub scene, as well as the experiences of women who are part of this world. It touches on how promoters play a role in bringing in high-status individuals, the significance of beauty in gaining access to elite spaces, and the complex relationships between men and women in this environment.
Creating an Exclusive and Status-Driven Atmosphere
The podcast delves into the strategies used by nightclubs to create an atmosphere that revolves around exclusivity and status. It examines how clubs carefully curate their clientele, favoring individuals who are perceived as high-status or wealthy. The episode discusses the visual cues and rituals employed, such as extravagant bottle service, the use of sparklers and fireworks, and strategic table placement near the DJ booth. It highlights the performative nature of wealth display within the nightclub context and the role that audience perception plays in reinforcing status hierarchies.
The Role of Promoters and Gender Dynamics
The episode explores the role of promoters in the nightclub scene and the specific gender dynamics at play. Promoters, predominantly men, are responsible for bringing in attractive women, particularly fashion models, to enhance the club's image and attract wealthy clients. The podcast sheds light on the promoters' tactics, which involve building relationships with the models and dating them to maintain their presence at the club. It discusses the strategic intimacy promoters utilize and touches on the blurred boundaries between personal and professional relationships. It also addresses the distinction between promoters and sex work, highlighting the promoters' self-perceived role as facilitators of social opportunities rather than exploitative agents.
Societal Meanings, Regrets, and Diversity
The episode delves into the societal meanings attributed to the nightclub scene and the experiences of individuals involved. It addresses how participants, both men and women, navigate the blurred lines between leisure, work, and status-seeking. The podcast touches on the gender dynamics and stigmas surrounding women engaging in nightlife, including discussions on sex work and gold-digging. It sheds light on the power dynamics within the industry, the vulnerability of some women, and the potential for exploitation. While the experiences and perspectives of individuals vary, the episode suggests that many women view their involvement in the nightclub scene as an exciting and unique opportunity, while acknowledging the potential risks and challenges within the environment. It concludes with a discussion on the racial dynamics within the nightlife industry, noting the disproportionate representation of white clients and the diversity among promoters.
The gender dynamics of nightclubs
Nightclubs often rely on and exploit gender dynamics to their advantage. Promoters, who are mostly men, use heterosexual flirtation as a tool to attract women. The clubs create spaces where women can show off and belong, but the control and profiting from the women's beauty lies primarily with men. The club scene enacts a performance of masculinity centered around dominance over women and displays of power and wealth.
Ostentation and societal status
Ostentation, or the act of showing off wealth and status, is a prevalent phenomenon in society. It is driven by the desire to raise social status, but can be seen as crass and lacking in subtlety. Certain settings, like nightclubs, may tolerate and even encourage ostentation, while other contexts, such as the acquisition of luxury goods and participation in philanthropic circles, may require more subtle displays of wealth. Overall, ostentation reflects the competitive nature of society and the constant comparison of individuals to those higher up on the social hierarchy.
What interesting social phenomena can be observed at nightclubs? What are "whales" hoping to achieve by spending big at nightclubs? Trying too obviously to increase social status tends to backfire; so how can people buy status without appearing to do so? What do "promoters" gain from these social interactions? How does their work differ from or overlap with sex work? How can they make money without being seen as "gold-diggers"? What ethnicities tend to comprise these nightclub groups? How do wealthy people attempt to navigate the norms of the various elite substrata which expect them both to put their wealth on display and to do so without being ostentatious or gaudy?
Ashley Mears is a professor of sociology and women's, gender, and sexuality studies at Boston University, and she's the co-founder of the Ethnographic Cafe and BU's Precarity Lab. She received her BA in sociology from the University of Georgia in 2002 and her PhD in sociology at New York University in 2009. Working primarily at the intersections of economic and cultural sociology and gender, she studies how societies value people and things; she researches value and exchange in the context of labor, beauty, free stuff, elites, consumption, and social media; and she has written on theory and qualitative methods. She has held visiting positions at the University of Amsterdam and the Central European University in Budapest. In 2021-2022, she was a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Budapest. She currently serves on the editorial boards of American Sociological Review and Qualitative Sociology. Learn more about her at her website, ashleymears.com.
