Novara FM: Why Posh People Have Bad Taste w/ Nathalie Olah
Nov 16, 2023
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Writer and critic Nathalie Olah discusses the politics of taste and its impact on self-image and belonging. Topics include minimalism, posh people's indifference to style, the evolving meaning of the hoodie, and our right to enjoy supermarket pizza.
Taste plays a significant role in determining social status and class, with working-class individuals often feeling pressure to conform to societal standards to succeed.
Beauty standards and practices are rooted in societal pressures and consumerism, challenging the notion of natural beauty and promoting self-surveillance and appearance curation.
Taste as a marker of social distinction can shape access to opportunities and resources, and it is important to challenge strict boundaries and make art and culture accessible to everyone.
Deep dives
The Influence of Taste on Social Status and Class
The podcast episode explores the concept of taste and its connection to social status and class. It delves into how cultural signifiers, such as fashion, presentation, and lifestyle choices, play a significant role in determining an individual's position within society. The episode highlights that people from working-class backgrounds often feel pressure to conform to the finer nuances of good taste to succeed in the labor market and navigate social spaces. It also touches upon how taste is often associated with the bourgeoisie, as those in higher social classes tend to have more freedom to disregard societal standards of taste. Additionally, the episode challenges the notion that taste is solely about appearances, emphasizing that it goes beyond physical adornment to include intellectual pursuits and cultural references.
The Complicated Nature of Beauty and the Aesthetics of Authenticity
The episode explores the complexities of beauty and its connection to authenticity. It discusses how beauty standards and practices are deeply rooted in societal pressures and market-driven consumerism. The podcast episode highlights the contradictory messages conveyed by certain beauty brands that claim to promote natural, effortless beauty while selling expensive products. It questions the notion of natural beauty and challenges the stigma surrounding individuals who choose to alter their appearance through procedures like plastic surgery. The episode also touches upon the cultural commodification of health and fitness and the pressure to constantly self-surveil and curate one's appearance in a superficial society.
The Intersection of Taste, Class, and Artistic Expression
The podcast episode delves into the intersection of taste, class, and artistic expression. It examines how taste functions as a marker of social distinction and how it can shape an individual's access to opportunities and resources. The episode highlights examples from film and literature, such as Pedro Almodóvar's 'All About My Mother,' to illustrate the ways in which aesthetic choices can challenge dominant beauty norms and convey a sense of authenticity. It questions societal expectations that link creative pursuits and intellectual curiosity exclusively to higher social classes, emphasizing the importance of making art and culture accessible to everyone without attaching social status or snobbery to it. The episode ultimately challenges the strict boundaries and judgments associated with taste and calls for a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of artistic expression.
The Evolution of Minimalism and Its Symbolism of Wealth
Minimalism has become the default for good taste in interior design. It represents a sterile and clean sanctuary that signals wealth. This aesthetic emphasizes the absence of chaos and clutter, which has become an emblem of luxury. While minimalism originally aimed to challenge the excesses of consumerism, it has now been commodified and cannibalized all other forms of fashion, leading to a lack of variation in dressing styles.
The Complexities of Food Culture and Moral Condescension
Food culture often perpetuates moral judgments, especially in relation to eating healthily. There is an assumption that eating healthy is simply a matter of consumer education and effort, ignoring structural factors like economic barriers and time constraints. The branding of healthy living has become a lifestyle manual that goes beyond cooking, emphasizing moral imperatives and family expectations. This condescension towards food choices disregards the economic and self-esteem implications of food, as well as the need for pleasure and convenience in people's lives.
Dolly Parton was right, as usual, when she revealed that “it costs a lot of money to look this cheap”. But who decided rhinestones were tacky in the first place? Style is a matter of taste, yet taste itself is a a matter of money, morality and identity, as the writer and critic Nathalie Olah […]
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