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A status symbol is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of Wealth or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols. Status symbol is also a Sociology term – as part of social and sociological symbolic interactionism – relating to how individuals and groups interact and interpret various cultural symbols. The Three Sociological Paradigms, from The HCC-Southwest College , December 2008.
For example, before the invention of the printing press, possession of a large collection of laboriously hand-copied was a symbol of wealth and scholarship. In later centuries, books (and literacy) became more common, so a private library became less-rarefied as a status symbol, though a sizable collection still commands respect.
In some past cultures of East Asia, and jade were major status symbols, reserved exclusively for royalty. Similar legal exclusions applied to the toga and its variants in ancient Rome, and to cotton in the Aztec Empire. Special colors, such as imperial yellow (in China) or royal purple (in ancient Rome) were reserved for royalty, with severe penalties for unauthorized display. Another common status symbol of the European medieval past was heraldry, a display of one's family name and history.
A uniform symbolizes membership in an organization, and may display additional insignia of rank, specialty, tenure and other details of the wearer's status within the organization. A state may confer award, medals or that can show that the wearer has heroic or official status. Elaborate color-coded academic regalia is often worn during Graduation ceremonies, indicating academic rank and specialty.
In many cultures around the world, diverse visual markers of marital status are widely used. Coming of age rituals and other rites of passage may involve granting and display of symbols of a new status. may specify who ought to wear particular kinds or styles of clothing, and when and where specific items of clothing are displayed.
Dieting to reduce excess body fat is widely practiced in Western society, while some traditional societies still value obesity as a sign of prosperity. Development of through exercise, previously disdained as a stigma of doing heavy manual labor, is now valued as a sign of personal achievement. Some groups, such as extreme and use special exercise and diet to "bulk up" into an impressive appearance.
Ancient Central American Maya society cultures artificially induced strabismus and head binding of high-born infants as a permanent, lifetime sign of noble status. The Mayans also tooth filing to look fierce, or inset into their teeth as decoration.
These residences, in addition to providing a high level of privacy and security, serve as genuine symbols of power and prestige, often linked to noble dynasties, prominent entrepreneurs, financial leaders, and influential figures on the international stage. The value of such properties is not merely determined by their strategic location or architectural features but, more importantly, by their function as instruments of social representation and status assertion, as access to them is often restricted even for those with immense wealth.
Luxury goods are often perceived as status symbols. Examples may include a mansion or penthouse apartment, a trophy wife, haute couture clothes, jewellery, or a luxury vehicle.Geoffrey Murray (1994). 187341028X, China Library. 187341028X A sizeable collection of high-priced artworks or antiques may be displayed, sometimes in multiple seasonally occupied residences located around the world. Private aviation and luxury are movable status symbols that can be taken from one glamorous location to another; the "jet set" refers to wealthy individuals who travel by Business jet and who frequent fashionable resorts.Merriam-Webster. Jet set. Accessed 2013-10-02.
Status symbols are also used by persons of much more modest means. In the Soviet Union before the fall of the Berlin Wall, possession of American-style jeans or rock music recordings (even pirated or bootlegged copies) was an important status symbol among rebellious . In the 1990s, foreign in China, where a pack of Marlboro could cost one day's salary for some workers, were seen as a status symbol.J Brooks. American cigarettes have become a status symbol in smoke-saturated China. 1995. Mobile phone usage had been considered a status symbol (for example in Turkey in the early 1990s),Yusuf Ziya Özcan, Abdullah Koçak. Research Note: A Need or a Status Symbol? 2003 but is less distinctive today, because of the spread of inexpensive mobile phones. Nonetheless Apple products such as iPhone are common status symbols among modern teenagers.
A common type of modern status symbol is a prestigious item, whether apparel or other type of a good. The brand name or logo is often prominently displayed, or featured as a graphic design element of decoration. Certain brands are so highly valued that cheap or knock-off copies are purchased and displayed by those who do not want to, or are unable to, pay for the genuine item.
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