Essay On Cultural Capital

For me, cultural capital in the form of the objectified state has played a large role in shaping my life and personality. In the reading, Bourdieu defines objectified cultural capital as that of which physically or symbolically connotes one’s tastes and/or status. Examples of physical/material cultural capital would include paintings, instruments, writings, etc. Examples of symbolic cultural capital would include musical tastes, experiences obtained, knowledge gained, etc. Cultural capital requires scarcity. The value of one’s cultural capital is diminished if everyone else also has the same type or similar type of cultural capital. If everyone has a penchant for listening to alternative rock music then saying one is drawn to that same type of music is not …show more content…
I spent a couple weeks in Europe on a school sponsored trip during the summer of my sophomore year. My father knew the expense of going on this trip but he knew that the experiences and perspectives I could gain from this trip would be well worth the price. I appreciate him greatly for that. I traveled to Italy, Switzerland, France, and England. I did my best to immerse myself in the different cultures, try to speak their languages, and sample their unique cuisines. Photos on file and trinkets in hand I came back to the U.S. feeling excited knowing I experienced situations that not many people go through or have the means to do so. If given the chance to expose myself to cultures other than my own I tend to jump at the opportunity given the amount of time, money, and risk I am willing to give and/or accept. Alongside experiences I also like to gather trinkets and/or souvenirs of my endeavors. Physical reminders of what I have experienced brings me a lot of joy. I don’t need these objects in order to gain anything out of the experiences but they help a great deal in expressing my love and appreciation for being a part of them. In my room I have many items pinned to boards, taped to walls, and hung from the