Bourdieu, Baudrillard and Bauman: Consumption as a Strategy of Distinction

Abstract

The present article intends to discuss on the evolution of the economic and cultural consumption as means of distinction among social classes during the 20th century, using as basis three texts from Bourdieu, Baudrillard and Bauman. It actually is an exercise of analysis of the converging points between the three theorists, which can be found on their debates about the uses and possession of objects and critics to the definition of the social status. The proposed text has as initial premise that each text represents a different moment on the phase of acceleration imposed by the capitalism: from the distinction between the lower, middle and upper classes on the production and consumption spheres, to the maintenance of the status quo resulting of consumption practices on a momento of high obsolescence of both technical and cultural products.