Reflection on Pierre Bourdieu's Cultural Capital

So this is the first blog in a few days, things have been so hectic and busy I have been chasing my tail...

After catching with some work, I did some further reading recommended by my tutor Paula Nottingham. I took a look at the suggested extract from an article about Cultural capital.

  Her question was- How does cultural capital play a part of thinking for understanding how people work with Web 2.0?

   This article provoked so many thoughts about how people work in the performance industry, particularly with Web 2.0 and how much we as professionals are affected by this.
  The first point was that 'Bordieu argued that capital formed the foundation of social life and dictated one's position within the social order' (http://routledgesoc.com/category/profile-tags/cultural-capital)
At first I wasn't sure if I agreed with this, particularly in the performance arts. But after thinking through of past experiences I can see how this is relatable to our industry. The more capital you have the more opportunities you have to go to watch shows; the more shows you are able to see, the bigger insight into the active world of theatre, the greater the chance to mix in higher social circles of directors, producers and agents, creating networks that will have a positive effect on your career, with possibilities of castings, auditions and jobs.
  Regarding Web 2.0 this capital would usually mean more followers on social media e.g twitter or Instagram, which automatically means you are more marketable to a director or producer. These social sites are so influential, that the more followers someone has is seen as more opportunities for advertising. I have heard it said by many casting directors that if a job is between two people, they will go with the one with most followers for that reason. Therefore more capital can not only dictate one social life, but also their professional life.

   The second paragraph was even more provoking for me, and I strongly agreed with the points raised. 'Sharing similar forms of cultural capital with others—the same taste in movies, for example, or a degree from an Ivy League School—creates a sense of collective identity and group position (“people like us”).'( http://routledgesoc.com/category/profile-tags/cultural-capital) During my career, I have been interviewed for teaching roles based on my college training via Web 2.0 LinkdIn. My training is included in my profile, and when a school principal was looking for new teachers, she approached me initially as we went to the same college. I feel people naturally go for this collective identity, as most like to belong and be able to relate to people, so look for similarities within themselves. This is institutionalised cultural capital, giving you a higher social standing based on factors such as education, qualifications or experiences.
   It reminds me how important it is to keep my online profiles up to date, including all credits and qualifications and this could be the difference between getting a job or not!

All quotes taken from article (http://routledgesoc.com/category/profile-tags/cultural-capital)