Status symbol: Difference between revisions
imported>ShelfSkewed Unlinked ambiguous—common terms used in an ordinary sense |
imported>Timrollpickering |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Object that denotes one's social position}} | {{Short description|Object that denotes one's social position}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} | |||
[[File:Inquilinos.gif|thumb|upright|Social status is often associated with clothing and possessions. In this scene from [[History of Chile#European conquest and colonization (1540–1810)|rural 19th-century Chile]], the foreman has a horse and high hat, while the ''[[inquilino]]'' (indebted laborer) does not.]] | [[File:Inquilinos.gif|thumb|upright|Social status is often associated with clothing and possessions. In this scene from [[History of Chile#European conquest and colonization (1540–1810)|rural 19th-century Chile]], the foreman has a horse and high hat, while the ''[[inquilino]]'' (indebted laborer) does not.]] | ||
A '''status symbol''' is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of [[Wealth|economic]] or [[social status]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cherrington |first=David J. |title=Organizational Behavior |page=[https://archive.org/details/organizationalbe02edcher/page/384 384] |year=1994 |isbn=0-205-15550-2 |publisher=Allyn and Bacon |url=https://archive.org/details/organizationalbe02edcher/page/384 }}</ref> Many [[luxury goods]] are often considered status symbols. ''Status symbol'' is also a [[Sociology|sociological]] term – as part of social and sociological [[symbolic interactionism]] – relating to how individuals and groups interact and interpret various cultural symbols.<ref>[http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/members/ruth.dunn/Three%20Paradigms.pdf The Three Sociological Paradigms]{{dead link|date=April 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, from [http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/ The HCC-Southwest College] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040805065141/http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/ |date=2004 | A '''status symbol''' is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of [[Wealth|economic]] or [[social status]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cherrington |first=David J. |title=Organizational Behavior |page=[https://archive.org/details/organizationalbe02edcher/page/384 384] |year=1994 |isbn=0-205-15550-2 |publisher=Allyn and Bacon |url=https://archive.org/details/organizationalbe02edcher/page/384 }}</ref> Many [[luxury goods]] are often considered status symbols. ''Status symbol'' is also a [[Sociology|sociological]] term – as part of social and sociological [[symbolic interactionism]] – relating to how individuals and groups interact and interpret various cultural symbols.<ref>[http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/members/ruth.dunn/Three%20Paradigms.pdf The Three Sociological Paradigms]{{dead link|date=April 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, from [http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/ The HCC-Southwest College] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040805065141/http://learning.swc.hccs.edu/ |date=5 August 2004 }}, December 2008.</ref> | ||
== Etymology == | == Etymology == | ||
The term "status symbol" was first written in English in 1955,<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2023 | The term "status symbol" was first written in English in 1955,<ref>{{cite web|access-date=12 August 2023|language=en|title=status seeking – Search Online Etymology Dictionary|url=https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=status+seeking|website=etymonline.com}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> but from 1959 with the publication of the bestseller "The Status Seekers" greater distribution. There, journalist [[Vance Packard]] describes the social strategy and behavior in the USA.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=12 August 2023|title=The status seekers; an exploration of class behavior in America, Longmans, 1959|url=https://www.worldcat.org/de/title/2125250|website=worldcat.org}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> | ||
== By region and time == | == By region and time == | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
[[File:Cusanus schedel chronicle.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Galero]] hat, symbol of ecclesiastical status]] | [[File:Cusanus schedel chronicle.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Galero]] hat, symbol of ecclesiastical status]] | ||
For example, before the invention of the [[printing press]], possession of a large collection of laboriously hand-copied [[book]]s was a symbol of wealth and scholarship. In later centuries, books (and literacy) became more common, so a [[private library]] became less-rarefied as a status symbol, though a sizable collection still commands respect.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2023 | For example, before the invention of the [[printing press]], possession of a large collection of laboriously hand-copied [[book]]s was a symbol of wealth and scholarship. In later centuries, books (and literacy) became more common, so a [[private library]] became less-rarefied as a status symbol, though a sizable collection still commands respect.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=12 August 2023|date=20 October 2016|language=en|title=Are book collectors real readers, or just cultural snobs? – Aeon Essays|url=https://aeon.co/essays/are-book-collectors-real-readers-or-just-cultural-snobs|website=aeon.co}}<!-- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator --></ref> | ||
In some past cultures of East Asia, [[pearl]]s and [[jade]] were major status symbols, reserved exclusively for royalty. Similar legal exclusions applied to the [[toga]] and its variants in [[ancient Rome]], and to [[cotton]] in the [[Aztec Empire]]. Special colors, such as [[Imperial yellow jacket|imperial yellow]] (in China) or [[royal purple]] (in ancient Rome) were reserved for royalty, with severe penalties for unauthorized display. Another common status symbol of the European medieval past was [[heraldry]], a display of one's family name and history. | In some past cultures of East Asia, [[pearl]]s and [[jade]] were major status symbols, reserved exclusively for royalty. Similar legal exclusions applied to the [[toga]] and its variants in [[ancient Rome]], and to [[cotton]] in the [[Aztec Empire]]. Special colors, such as [[Imperial yellow jacket|imperial yellow]] (in China) or [[royal purple]] (in ancient Rome) were reserved for royalty, with severe penalties for unauthorized display. Another common status symbol of the European medieval past was [[heraldry]], a display of one's family name and history. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 19: | ||
==Societal recognition== | ==Societal recognition== | ||
{{See also|Achieved status|Status attainment|Social status}} | {{See also|Achieved status|Status attainment|Social status}} | ||
Status symbols also indicate the cultural values of a society or a subculture. For example, in a [[commerce|commercial]] society, having money or wealth and things that can be bought by wealth, such as cars, houses, or fine clothing, are considered status symbols. Where warriors are respected, a [[scar]] can represent honor or courage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.missedinhistory.com/blogs/real-men-have-dueling-scars.htm|title=Real Men Have Dueling Scars|date=2009 | Status symbols also indicate the cultural values of a society or a subculture. For example, in a [[commerce|commercial]] society, having money or wealth and things that can be bought by wealth, such as cars, houses, or fine clothing, are considered status symbols. Where warriors are respected, a [[scar]] can represent honor or courage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.missedinhistory.com/blogs/real-men-have-dueling-scars.htm|title=Real Men Have Dueling Scars|date=4 May 2009|work=Stuff You Missed in History Class|access-date=18 December 2017|language=en}}</ref> Among [[intellectual]]s being able to think in an intelligent and educated way is an important status symbol regardless of material possessions. In academic circles, a long list of publications and a securely [[tenure]]d position at a prestigious university or research institute are a mark of high status. It has been speculated that the earliest foods to be domesticated were luxury feast foods used to cement one's place as a "rich person".<ref>Hayden B 2003. Were luxury foods the first domesticates? Ethnoarchaeological perspectives from Southeast Asia. World Archaeology 34(3)</ref> | ||
A [[uniform]] symbolizes membership in an organization, and may display additional insignia of rank, specialty, tenure and other details of the wearer's status within the organization. A state may confer [[award|decoration]]s, medals or [[badge]]s that can show that the wearer has heroic or official status. Elaborate [[color-coded]] [[academic regalia]] is often worn during [[Graduation|commencement]] ceremonies, indicating [[academic rank]] and specialty. | A [[uniform]] symbolizes membership in an organization, and may display additional insignia of rank, specialty, tenure and other details of the wearer's status within the organization. A state may confer [[award|decoration]]s, medals or [[badge]]s that can show that the wearer has heroic or official status. Elaborate [[color-coded]] [[academic regalia]] is often worn during [[Graduation|commencement]] ceremonies, indicating [[academic rank]] and specialty. | ||
| Line 25: | Line 26: | ||
== Body modifications == | == Body modifications == | ||
{{more citations needed | {{more citations needed section|date=November 2017}} | ||
[[File:Nuku Hiva Warrior1.jpg|thumb|Warrior tattoos]] | [[File:Nuku Hiva Warrior1.jpg|thumb|Warrior tattoos]] | ||
The condition and appearance of one's body can be a status symbol. In times past, when most workers did physical labor outdoors under the sun and often had little food, being pale and fat was a status symbol, indicating wealth and prosperity (through having more than enough food and not having to do manual labor). Now that workers usually do less-physical work indoors and find little time for exercise, being tanned and thin is often a status symbol in modern cultures. | The condition and appearance of one's body can be a status symbol. In times past, when most workers did physical labor outdoors under the sun and often had little food, being pale and fat was a status symbol, indicating wealth and prosperity (through having more than enough food and not having to do manual labor). Now that workers usually do less-physical work indoors and find little time for exercise, being tanned and thin is often a status symbol in modern cultures. | ||
| Line 31: | Line 32: | ||
[[Dieting]] to reduce excess body fat is widely practiced in Western society, while some traditional societies still value [[obesity]] as a sign of prosperity. Development of [[muscle]]s through [[exercise]], previously disdained as a stigma of doing heavy [[manual labor]], is now valued as a sign of personal achievement. Some groups, such as extreme [[bodybuilder]]s and [[sumo wrestler]]s use special exercise and diet to "bulk up" into an impressive appearance. | [[Dieting]] to reduce excess body fat is widely practiced in Western society, while some traditional societies still value [[obesity]] as a sign of prosperity. Development of [[muscle]]s through [[exercise]], previously disdained as a stigma of doing heavy [[manual labor]], is now valued as a sign of personal achievement. Some groups, such as extreme [[bodybuilder]]s and [[sumo wrestler]]s use special exercise and diet to "bulk up" into an impressive appearance. | ||
Ancient Central American [[Maya society|Maya]] cultures artificially induced [[strabismus|crosseyedness]] and [[head binding|flattened the foreheads]] of high-born infants as a permanent, lifetime sign of noble status.<ref name=Mayan>{{cite web|title=Maya Culture|url=http://www.authenticmaya.com/maya_culture.htm|work=Guatemala: Cradle of the Mayan Civilization|publisher=authenticmaya.com|access-date=2012 | Ancient Central American [[Maya society|Maya]] cultures artificially induced [[strabismus|crosseyedness]] and [[head binding|flattened the foreheads]] of high-born infants as a permanent, lifetime sign of noble status.<ref name=Mayan>{{cite web|title=Maya Culture|url=http://www.authenticmaya.com/maya_culture.htm|work=Guatemala: Cradle of the Mayan Civilization|publisher=authenticmaya.com|access-date=13 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507011502/http://www.authenticmaya.com/maya_culture.htm|archive-date=7 May 2012}}</ref> The Mayans also [[tooth filing|filed their teeth to sharp points]] to look fierce, or inset [[precious stone]]s into their teeth as decoration.<ref name="Mayan" /> | ||
== Material possessions == | == Material possessions == | ||
The ownership of luxury residences in exclusive locations has historically been considered one of the ultimate status symbols worldwide. Among the most coveted and recognized destinations globally are [[Portofino]], a renowned location on the [[Italian Riviera]], characterized by prestigious properties overlooking one of [[Europe]]'s most exclusive natural harbors; [[Lierna]], offering a privileged view of [[Lake Como]], historically associated with high aristocracy and international economic elites; and [[Monte Carlo]], in the [[Principality of Monaco]], a key hub for [[finance]], [[Luxury goods|luxury]], and global high society. | The ownership of luxury residences in exclusive locations has historically been considered one of the ultimate status symbols worldwide. Among the most coveted and recognized destinations globally are [[Portofino]], a renowned location on the [[Italian Riviera]], characterized by prestigious properties overlooking one of [[Europe]]'s most exclusive natural harbors; [[Lierna]], offering a privileged view of [[Lake Como]], historically associated with high aristocracy and international economic elites; and [[Monte Carlo]], in the [[Principality of Monaco]], a key hub for [[finance]], [[Luxury goods|luxury]], and global high society. | ||
These residences, in addition to providing a high level of [[privacy]] and [[security]], serve as genuine symbols of power and prestige, often linked to [[noble dynasties]], prominent [[entrepreneurs]], [[financial leaders]], and influential figures on the international stage. The value of such properties is not merely determined by their strategic location or [[architectural]] features but, more importantly, by their function as instruments of [[social representation]] and [[status assertion]], as access to them is often restricted even for those with immense [[wealth]]. | These residences, in addition to providing a high level of [[privacy]] and [[security]], serve as genuine symbols of power and prestige, often linked to [[noble dynasties]], prominent [[entrepreneurs]], [[financial leaders]], and influential figures on the international stage. The value of such properties is not merely determined by their strategic location or [[architectural]] features but, more importantly, by their function as instruments of [[social representation]] and [[status assertion]], as access to them is often restricted even for those with immense [[wealth]]. | ||
[[File:4679viki Zamek w Krobielowicach. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg|thumb|left|Hunting trophy of an aristocrat]] | [[File:4679viki Zamek w Krobielowicach. Foto Barbara Maliszewska.jpg|thumb|left|Hunting trophy of an aristocrat]] | ||
[[Luxury goods]] are often perceived as status symbols. Examples may include a [[mansion]] or [[penthouse apartment]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Winter |first=Ian C. |title=The Radical Home Owner |year=1995 |isbn=2-88449-028-0 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |page=47}}</ref> a [[trophy wife]],<ref>{{Cite book |title=Classism and Feminist Therapy: Counting Costs |last=Hill |first=Marcia |author2=Esther D. Rothblum |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1996 |isbn=1-56024-801-7 |page=79}}</ref> [[haute couture]] [[fashion]]able clothes,<ref name="HecklerTill2008"/> [[jewellery]],<ref name="Russell2010">{{cite book|author=Rebecca Ross Russell|title=Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wx11yQK3J3QC&pg=PA89|access-date=10 September 2013|date=5 June 2010|publisher=Rebecca Ross Russell|isbn=978-1-4528-8253-6|page=89}}</ref> or a [[luxury vehicle]].<ref name=murray>{{Cite book |title=Doing Business in China: The Last Great Market |last=Murray |first=Geoffrey |publisher=China Library |year=1994 |isbn=1-873410-28-X}}</ref> A sizeable collection of high-priced artworks or antiques may be displayed, sometimes in multiple seasonally occupied residences located around the world. [[Private aviation|Privately owned aircraft]] and luxury [[yacht]]s are movable status symbols that can be taken from one glamorous location to another; the "[[jet set]]" refers to wealthy individuals who travel by [[Business jet|private jet]] and who frequent fashionable resorts.<ref>Merriam-Webster. [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jet%20set Jet set]. Accessed 2013 | [[Luxury goods]] are often perceived as status symbols. Examples may include a [[mansion]] or [[penthouse apartment]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Winter |first=Ian C. |title=The Radical Home Owner |year=1995 |isbn=2-88449-028-0 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |page=47}}</ref> a "[[trophy wife]]",<ref>{{Cite book |title=Classism and Feminist Therapy: Counting Costs |last=Hill |first=Marcia |author2=Esther D. Rothblum |publisher=Haworth Press |year=1996 |isbn=1-56024-801-7 |page=79}}</ref> [[haute couture]] [[fashion]]able clothes,<ref name="HecklerTill2008"/> [[jewellery]],<ref name="Russell2010">{{cite book|author=Rebecca Ross Russell|title=Gender and Jewelry: A Feminist Analysis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wx11yQK3J3QC&pg=PA89|access-date=10 September 2013|date=5 June 2010|publisher=Rebecca Ross Russell|isbn=978-1-4528-8253-6|page=89}}</ref> or a [[luxury vehicle]].<ref name=murray>{{Cite book |title=Doing Business in China: The Last Great Market |last=Murray |first=Geoffrey |publisher=China Library |year=1994 |isbn=1-873410-28-X}}</ref> A sizeable collection of high-priced artworks or antiques may be displayed, sometimes in multiple seasonally occupied residences located around the world. [[Private aviation|Privately owned aircraft]] and luxury [[yacht]]s are movable status symbols that can be taken from one glamorous location to another; the "[[jet set]]" refers to wealthy individuals who travel by [[Business jet|private jet]] and who frequent fashionable resorts.<ref>Merriam-Webster. [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jet%20set Jet set]. Accessed 2 October 2013.</ref> | ||
[[File:George v L Meyer private library in Hamilton Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|Personal library of a wealthy American, 1919]] | [[File:George v L Meyer private library in Hamilton Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|Personal library of a wealthy American, 1919]] | ||
Status symbols are also used by persons of much more modest means. In the [[Soviet Union]] before the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]], possession of American-style [[jeans|blue jeans]] or [[rock music]] recordings (even pirated or bootlegged copies) was an important status symbol among rebellious | Status symbols are also used by persons of much more modest means. In the [[Soviet Union]] before the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]], possession of American-style [[jeans|blue jeans]] or [[rock music]] recordings (even pirated or bootlegged copies) was an important status symbol among rebellious teenagers. In the 1990s, foreign [[cigarette]]s in [[China]], where a pack of [[Marlboro]] could cost one day's salary for some workers, were seen as a status symbol.<ref>J Brooks. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1337922/ American cigarettes have become a status symbol in smoke-saturated China.] 1995.</ref> [[Mobile phone]] usage had been considered a status symbol (for example in [[Turkey]] in the early 1990s),<ref>Yusuf Ziya Özcan, Abdullah Koçak. [http://ejc.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/18/2/241 Research Note: A Need or a Status Symbol?] 2003</ref> but is less distinctive today, because of the spread of inexpensive mobile phones. Nonetheless, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] products such as [[iPhone]] are common status symbols among modern teenagers.<ref name="Greyling">{{cite book|author=Alexander Greyling|title=Face your brand! The visual language of branding explained|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mWa_Z7B-nnoC&pg=PA94|access-date=10 September 2013|publisher=Alex Greyling|isbn=978-0-620-44310-4|page=94}}</ref><ref name="Baaghil2013">{{cite book|author=Said Baaghil|title=Glamour Globals: Trends Over Brands|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0QHfxZO5AGkC&pg=PA50|access-date=10 September 2013|date=9 January 2013|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4759-7167-5|page=50|author-link=Said Baaghil}}</ref> | ||
A common type of modern status symbol is a prestigious [[luxury brand]]ed item, whether apparel or other type of a good.<ref name="HecklerTill2008">{{cite book|author1=Donna D. Heckler|author2=Brian D. Till|title=The Truth About Creating Brands People Love|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DhNprFiz6UC&pg=PA23|access-date=10 September 2013|date=10 October 2008|publisher=FT Press|isbn=978-0-13-270118-1|page=23}}</ref> The brand name or logo is often prominently displayed, or featured as a [[graphic design]] element of decoration. Certain brands are so highly valued that cheap [[counterfeit good]]s or knock-off copies are purchased and displayed by those who do not want to, or are unable to, pay for the genuine item. | A common type of modern status symbol is a prestigious [[luxury brand]]ed item, whether apparel or other type of a good.<ref name="HecklerTill2008">{{cite book|author1=Donna D. Heckler|author2=Brian D. Till|title=The Truth About Creating Brands People Love|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DhNprFiz6UC&pg=PA23|access-date=10 September 2013|date=10 October 2008|publisher=FT Press|isbn=978-0-13-270118-1|page=23}}</ref> The brand name or logo is often prominently displayed, or featured as a [[graphic design]] element of decoration. Certain brands are so highly valued that cheap [[counterfeit good]]s or knock-off copies are purchased and displayed by those who do not want to, or are unable to, pay for the genuine item. | ||
Latest revision as of 14:14, 2 November 2025
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
A status symbol is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of economic or social status.[1] Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols. Status symbol is also a sociological term – as part of social and sociological symbolic interactionism – relating to how individuals and groups interact and interpret various cultural symbols.[2]
Etymology
The term "status symbol" was first written in English in 1955,[3] but from 1959 with the publication of the bestseller "The Status Seekers" greater distribution. There, journalist Vance Packard describes the social strategy and behavior in the USA.[4]
By region and time
As people aspire to high status, they often seek also its symbols. As with other symbols, status symbols may change in value or meaning over time, and will differ among countries and cultural regions, based on their economy and technology.
For example, before the invention of the printing press, possession of a large collection of laboriously hand-copied books was a symbol of wealth and scholarship. In later centuries, books (and literacy) became more common, so a private library became less-rarefied as a status symbol, though a sizable collection still commands respect.[5]
In some past cultures of East Asia, pearls and jade were major status symbols, reserved exclusively for royalty. Similar legal exclusions applied to the toga and its variants in ancient Rome, and to cotton in the Aztec Empire. Special colors, such as imperial yellow (in China) or royal purple (in ancient Rome) were reserved for royalty, with severe penalties for unauthorized display. Another common status symbol of the European medieval past was heraldry, a display of one's family name and history.
Societal recognition
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Status symbols also indicate the cultural values of a society or a subculture. For example, in a commercial society, having money or wealth and things that can be bought by wealth, such as cars, houses, or fine clothing, are considered status symbols. Where warriors are respected, a scar can represent honor or courage.[6] Among intellectuals being able to think in an intelligent and educated way is an important status symbol regardless of material possessions. In academic circles, a long list of publications and a securely tenured position at a prestigious university or research institute are a mark of high status. It has been speculated that the earliest foods to be domesticated were luxury feast foods used to cement one's place as a "rich person".[7]
A uniform symbolizes membership in an organization, and may display additional insignia of rank, specialty, tenure and other details of the wearer's status within the organization. A state may confer decorations, medals or badges that can show that the wearer has heroic or official status. Elaborate color-coded academic regalia is often worn during commencement ceremonies, indicating academic rank and specialty.
In many cultures around the world, diverse visual markers of marital status are widely used. Coming of age rituals and other rites of passage may involve granting and display of symbols of a new status. Dress codes may specify who ought to wear particular kinds or styles of clothing, and when and where specific items of clothing are displayed.
Body modifications
Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
The condition and appearance of one's body can be a status symbol. In times past, when most workers did physical labor outdoors under the sun and often had little food, being pale and fat was a status symbol, indicating wealth and prosperity (through having more than enough food and not having to do manual labor). Now that workers usually do less-physical work indoors and find little time for exercise, being tanned and thin is often a status symbol in modern cultures.
Dieting to reduce excess body fat is widely practiced in Western society, while some traditional societies still value obesity as a sign of prosperity. Development of muscles through exercise, previously disdained as a stigma of doing heavy manual labor, is now valued as a sign of personal achievement. Some groups, such as extreme bodybuilders and sumo wrestlers use special exercise and diet to "bulk up" into an impressive appearance.
Ancient Central American Maya cultures artificially induced crosseyedness and flattened the foreheads of high-born infants as a permanent, lifetime sign of noble status.[8] The Mayans also filed their teeth to sharp points to look fierce, or inset precious stones into their teeth as decoration.[8]
Material possessions
The ownership of luxury residences in exclusive locations has historically been considered one of the ultimate status symbols worldwide. Among the most coveted and recognized destinations globally are Portofino, a renowned location on the Italian Riviera, characterized by prestigious properties overlooking one of Europe's most exclusive natural harbors; Lierna, offering a privileged view of Lake Como, historically associated with high aristocracy and international economic elites; and Monte Carlo, in the Principality of Monaco, a key hub for finance, luxury, and global high society.
These residences, in addition to providing a high level of privacy and security, serve as genuine symbols of power and prestige, often linked to noble dynasties, prominent entrepreneurs, financial leaders, and influential figures on the international stage. The value of such properties is not merely determined by their strategic location or architectural features but, more importantly, by their function as instruments of social representation and status assertion, as access to them is often restricted even for those with immense wealth.
Luxury goods are often perceived as status symbols. Examples may include a mansion or penthouse apartment,[9] a "trophy wife",[10] haute couture fashionable clothes,[11] jewellery,[12] or a luxury vehicle.[13] A sizeable collection of high-priced artworks or antiques may be displayed, sometimes in multiple seasonally occupied residences located around the world. Privately owned aircraft and luxury yachts are movable status symbols that can be taken from one glamorous location to another; the "jet set" refers to wealthy individuals who travel by private jet and who frequent fashionable resorts.[14]
Status symbols are also used by persons of much more modest means. In the Soviet Union before the fall of the Berlin Wall, possession of American-style blue jeans or rock music recordings (even pirated or bootlegged copies) was an important status symbol among rebellious teenagers. In the 1990s, foreign cigarettes in China, where a pack of Marlboro could cost one day's salary for some workers, were seen as a status symbol.[15] Mobile phone usage had been considered a status symbol (for example in Turkey in the early 1990s),[16] but is less distinctive today, because of the spread of inexpensive mobile phones. Nonetheless, Apple products such as iPhone are common status symbols among modern teenagers.[17][18]
A common type of modern status symbol is a prestigious luxury branded item, whether apparel or other type of a good.[11] The brand name or logo is often prominently displayed, or featured as a graphic design element of decoration. Certain brands are so highly valued that cheap counterfeit goods or knock-off copies are purchased and displayed by those who do not want to, or are unable to, pay for the genuine item.
See also
Script error: No such module "Portal".
<templatestyles src="Div col/styles.css"/>
References
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ The Three Sociological ParadigmsScript error: No such module "Unsubst".Template:Cbignore, from The HCC-Southwest College Template:Webarchive, December 2008.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Hayden B 2003. Were luxury foods the first domesticates? Ethnoarchaeological perspectives from Southeast Asia. World Archaeology 34(3)
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Merriam-Webster. Jet set. Accessed 2 October 2013.
- ↑ J Brooks. American cigarettes have become a status symbol in smoke-saturated China. 1995.
- ↑ Yusuf Ziya Özcan, Abdullah Koçak. Research Note: A Need or a Status Symbol? 2003
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Further reading
- Vance Oakley Packard: The status seekers: an exploration of class behaviour in Amerika. Harmondsworth, Pelican books, 1963. Template:Catalog lookup link
- Samuel I. Hayakawa: Symbol, status, and personality. New York, Harcourt, Brace & World, 1963. ISBN 9780156876117
- Pierre Bourdieu: Distinction: a social critique of the judgement of taste. London/New York, Routledge, 1984. ISBN 9780674212800