Part 1: What were two points from this week’s reading that stood out to you as particularly important and/or interesting? Why so?
There is a paper by Davis and Moore (1967) on 'Some principles of stratification', which are very specific and discrete roles, in the book Sociology by Van Krieken et al. (2017). According to this "Classification System" notion, those with exceptional talent will hold prominent positions and challenging tasks, and others with less talent will hold more regular jobs. It is a partition of various roles according to the abilities of each individual. Ensuring equality of opportunity and benefiting the entire society are the benefits of this hierarchical system. This argument, however, disregards the significance of non-economic benefits, inherited advantages, and the rationality of rewards.
Another interesting point is that four categories of capital—economic, cultural, social, and symbolic—were distinguished by French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu in his proposal for a culturally grounded theory of social hierarchy. The way that class is articulated through practices of taste and cultural capital that function as separate resources is highlighted in Bourdieu's Distinction (1984). Cultural capital is a marketable commodity in contemporary economies because education is essential to social advancement. Bourdieu's study of French cultural preferences and lifestyles exposed systematic disparities in preferences, underscoring the significance of cultural capital in interpersonal interactions. Capital and its accumulation have an impact on the social world, which is a complex system.
References
Bourdieu, P. (1986). Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education: Vol. The forms of capital (R. John G, Ed.; p. ch. 9, pp. 241-257). Greenwood Press.
Krieken Robert, V., Daphne, H., Philip, S., Brett , H., Greg , M., & Karl, M. (2017). Sociology: Vol. Class and inequality: Pierre Bourdieu: class and culture (6th edition, p. ch. 7, pp. 216-217). Pearson.
Part 2
What is your current favorite television show?
My favorite show is "Rap Viet," a yearly rap-themed program by the Vietnamese entertainment business Vieon. The purpose is to provide rap musicians with radio appearances and public recognition.
What is it about it that makes it good?
This program is unique because it gives the Rap music industry significant attention and investment. Rap music is not particularly popular and has not been chosen by the general public to listen to. Rap Playground was established in Vietnam to create opportunities as well as draw in fans of hip-hop and those who are not familiar with it—an excellent chance for Underground artists to get into the Mainstream. Furthermore, the popularity of Vietnamese Rap on television has not only started a trend of people enjoying Rap music but has also elevated Vietnamese Rap to a whole new level.
Why do you like it?
I enjoy it because the attention to detail in both the screenplay and the on-air pictures keeps the viewing experience engaging. The diversity of Rap music genres is the next thing that opened my eyes to the genre and helped dispel long-standing unfavorable stereotypes about it. What matters most, though, is the musical delight it provides for audiences like us. It is a show that appeals to all audiences universally.
Is there a context where it would be considered “good taste” and another where it would be considered “bad taste”? Give specific examples
The public was exposed to "good taste" in the show "Rap Viet" through vibrant music and the introduction of several human qualities, such as rapping about life, parents, and moral virtues. However, there are still negative aspects of entertainment programs. Since it's an entertainment show, it's inevitable that "pre-scripting" the show gave the audience the impression that it was structured rather than a fair competition. As a result, favoring the more exceptional contestants has overshadowed other weaker contestants, causing the contestants' development to be unbalanced.
References
Wikipedia Contributors. (2020, July 31). Rap Việt. Wikipedia.org; Wikimedia Foundation. https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rap_Vi%E1%BB%87t
