Is Socioeconomic Status a Predictor of Musical Tastes?
Our socioeconomic status seems to have at least some correlations between a few factors in our lives. According to a study written by Gerry Venstra, a professor from the University of British Columbia’s sociology department wealthier individuals prefer musical genres like classical music, rock, reggae, pop, opera, blues, and a few others while people with less education opportunity prefer country, disco, golden oldies, heavy metal, and a few more. According to the author of the study “Breadth of taste is not linked to class. But class filters into specific likes and dislikes.”
This study calls to question a very important debate in sectors of the sociology community, and that is if social class are accompanying with particular musical tastes or if members of the upper echelon of society have border musical pallets simply due to exposure. One can see sides for both arguments. On one hand having exposure to some music like opera, and classical, may seem too ridged for some, and then there is simple exposure. It is unlikely that the average citizen will be exposed to and therefore develop a liking for certain music types, and as we discussed in a previous blog musical tastes and preferences develop early in life and tend to stick with us for the rest of our lives.
No one need be defined by any aspect of their lives. Perhaps one day we can live in a world without walls where no assumptions about your preferences are made and the division between classes are completely dissolved. A world where everyone has the chance for equal exposure to all the good and uniqueness life has to offer and we are free to like different things for no other reason than that they enjoy it. “Worth lies in culture, not in appearance and possession. Besides, every person has his own mission in this world and everyone is valuable.”
― Maria Karvouni