Zone Panel: A Comic About Taste and Aesthetics

When Teacher Keke first walked into the classroom, he found that it was easier said than done. As a substitute teacher, he had to make these students, who came from all walks of life, understand Bourdieu's complex theory: Distinction. Facing these teenagers who were fascinated by popular culture, it was almost impossible to make them understand social class and cultural capital.

 

In a democratic society without nobility or royalty, we always assume that society is equal. Even though there are rich and poor, art, aesthetics, and taste are not related to class. We also believe that if a poor person becomes rich one day, they can immediately experience the class taste of the wealthy. We firmly believe that this is a manifestation of democracy, but we have fallen into the unspoken truth of the bourgeoisie—the poor may be able to turn their lives around, but it is almost impossible for them to grasp cultural influence.

 

In fact, the difference between the poor and the rich is not only whether they have money, but also the cultural capital they possess. Therefore, art and aesthetics, which keep people at a distance, are still defined by the upper class; while popular culture, clothing, and styles that common people are accustomed to have long been considered vulgar. This means that even if the poor turn their lives around, they are still upstarts with no taste.

 

How did this happen? If class solidification is so severe, why are most people unaware of it? To help students explore how "distinction" is internalized into social norms, Teacher Keke led students to explore people from different classes, from eating habits, vacation spots, and even the shoes on their feet to the tea in their cups. They suddenly realized that everything was related to class. Teenagers who are in the stage of developing self-esteem and taste had to realize how family affects personal taste, which then led to unexpected developments...

 

How should these high school teenagers re-examine their own taste?