Overview

Taste refers to the faculty of discerning quality in art, fashion, food, and culture. Historically viewed as a refined sensitivity to beauty, modern perspectives often analyze taste as a social marker and a product of cultural capital.

Core Idea

The central tension in the concept of taste is between the “standard of taste” (the idea that some judgments are better than others) and the maxim de gustibus non est disputandum (there is no disputing about taste).

Formal Definition (if applicable)

Hume defines a “standard of taste” based on the joint verdict of “true judges”—critics who possess strong sense, delicate sentiment, practice, comparison, and freedom from prejudice.

Intuition

We often feel that our preference for a complex novel over a tabloid is not just a whim but a recognition of higher quality. However, we also recognize that our friend’s preference for spicy food is simply a personal inclination. Taste bridges these two realms.

Examples

  • High Culture: Appreciating opera, fine wine, or abstract expressionism is often associated with “good taste.”
  • Kitsch: Objects considered to be in “bad taste” due to garishness or sentimentality.
  • Fashion: The rapidly changing standards of what is considered tasteful in clothing.

Common Misconceptions

  • “Taste is entirely subjective.” (Sociological studies show taste is heavily influenced by class and education.)
  • “Good taste is innate.” (It is largely acquired through exposure and education.)
  • Aesthetics: The broader study of beauty and art.
  • Cultural Capital: Bourdieu’s concept of non-financial social assets (like education and taste) that promote social mobility.
  • Snobbery: The attitude that one’s own taste is superior to others'.

Applications

  • Marketing: Understanding consumer taste to target products.
  • Curating: Selecting works for museums or galleries based on professional taste.
  • Social Analysis: Studying how taste reinforces class boundaries.

Criticism / Limitations

The concept of “good taste” has been criticized as a tool of exclusion, used by elites to distinguish themselves from the masses and devalue popular culture.

Further Reading

  • Hume, Of the Standard of Taste
  • Bourdieu, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgment of Taste
  • Sontag, Notes on “Camp”