Article based on an interview with Dr. Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, written by Archipel&Co
Author, speaker, researcher, professor of Public Policy at the Pride School, University of Southern California
Cultural capital plays a key role in defining and perpetuating class inequality in contemporary America. As demonstrated by Elizabeth Currid-Halkett in her work, the old leisure class has been replaced by a new elite, and conspicuous consumption is no longer the ultimate symbol of social distinction. Today, social distinction is achieved through immaterial investments in “small things”: discreet, inconspicuous consumption, requiring a high amount of knowledge and education. Sustainable consumption, notably through food and clothing, is part of this new social distinction of the “aspirational class”. To scale-up sustainable consumption, it is essential to make it more accessible to middle and lower-income groups.
