This research examines the consumption patterns of popular culture and distinction practices in the Chinese context on the basis of Bourdieusian theory of distinction, the omnivore debate and studies on cultural globalization. 10 in-depth interviews were conducted by targeting Chinese young metropolitans who are in favor of Western popular culture. How do they employ the sense of distinction in cultural consumption and how do their socio-economic attributes function in shaping their taste and sense of distinction are the main focuses of this study. Whether they are cultural omnivores will also be investigated. As Western popular culture has dominated the Chinese market and threatened the domestic cultural products, it is necessary to investigate its consumers’ perspectives and consumption behaviours. Results suggest that the Chinese youngsters who are in favor of Western popular culture also have a broad cultural preference which can be defined as ‘omnivorous’. Through consuming the Western popular culture, they tend to place themselves on a higher status over the Chinese popular culture lovers by aesthetically judging on the domestic cultural products and its consumers. It can be seen that the youngsters are highly shaped by the Western universal values, as they display the political disposition of individualism, liberalism, pluralism, which also resulted in conflicts with the Chinese traditional values and norms. As well as that the formation of their openness and democratic advocation are attributed to the changing economics, culture and politics in China in the past few decades. Moreover, findings show that distinction also exists within Western popular culture consumption, while respondents also drew boundaries by means of ‘what’ to consume and ‘how’ to consume. Genres and consumption styles of the Western popular cultural objects are ordered hierarchically as well. Lastly, regarding the young omnivores’ socio-economic background, cultural capital does play a key part in determining one’s taste in art and cultural consumption, however, family’s economic capital works as the foundation in this process of accumulating children’s cultural capital, especially the cosmopolitan cultural capital. Other factors such as the city of residence and profession also matter.

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N. van Poecke
hdl.handle.net/2105/49284
Master Arts, Culture & Society
Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication

X. Chen. (2019, June 11). Does Cultural Omnivorousness Exist In the Chinese Context? --- Distinction Through Taste In Popular Culture. Master Arts, Culture & Society. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/2105/49284