Is Cultural Eclecticism Axiological and a New Mark of Distinction? Cultural Diversification and Social Differentiation of Tastes in France

Abstract

Eclecticism as formulated initially by Richard Peterson includes the two ideas that cultural eclecticism is axiological (a mix of elite and non-elite genres) and represents a ‘standard for good taste’ (a new form of distinction). Research on eclecticism progressively developed an approach of differentiation with mixed-taste profiles complicating the relationship between types of omnivorousness and social value of cultural genres. This article discusses the two dimensions of explanations for French cultural eclecticism in the 2000s: value of taste and distinction. Based on a hierarchical classification of French culturally eclectic individuals in 2008, this article shows that a model of diversification of tastes is required to describe the contemporary diversity of portfolios of tastes and the absence of a dominant eclectic figure. It argues for a new model called ‘tablature’ which is a model of genre diversification combined with the social differentiation of tastes. The model results from the cultural field’s historical development into genres and changes in the judgement of taste. The classification suggests that we have passed from a ‘distinction’ argument to a ‘differentiation’ argument.