What’s a Culture Snob to Do?

Published on July 22, 2009 by Discussion Cafe

Discussion Resource:
Vanity Fair | August 2009
"What’s a Culture Snob to Do?"
Pity the culture snob, as Kindles, iPods, and flash drives swallow up the visible markers of superior taste and intelligence. With the digitization of books, music, and movies, how will the highbrow distinguish him- or herself from the masses?
By James Wolcott

1. Why are people's identities tied with their possessions? What other definitions of identity are there? Which frameworks of identity have prevailed throughout history?
2. Where is the line between "cultural snobbery" and "keen connoisseurship?"
3. How do you identify with your possesions? How do you relate to others based on their possesions?
4. Wolcott suggests that our stuff will shift from expressing our aesthetics to expressing our ethics. Do you agree or disagree? On what grounds might he be holding this forecast?
5. Do you take Wolcott to be more of a prophet figure--reproving cultural waywardness--or a nostalgic luddite simply complaining about the changing times?

(NOTE: It is suggested that you tackle a few, but probably not all of, the following. In a group of 3-10, it is likely that one or two of these questions can result in the conversation taking off on it's own. Let it! These are merely here to help steer the conversation when needed.)

(This article was the source material for the July 22 IAM New York Wednesday Morning Discussion Group.)