Everyday esthetics and political culture

In this SINUS classic from 1993, the authors argue that socioeconomic criteria are no longer decisive for social segmentations and people’s life and communication processes, but rather questions of individual lifestyle. Following Bourdieu, “everyday esthetics” has become the determining factor of social differentiation and orientation processes. With the help of SINUS-Milieus, this principle is made empirically verifiable. The development has led to an observable social fragmentation that threatens the existence of major political parties in particular. Linked to this fragmentation is the increasing shift away from rational political culture to become more emotional. This means that discursive forms of debate are being pushed back in favor of merely depicting reality in “symbolic politics,” which is given additional impetus by the medium of television. Politics is no longer discussed, politics is staged. This is precisely where the great danger of the “estheticization” of politics and society lies: communication channels are increasingly being torn apart in the face of the individual social milieus.