Omnivorous Consumption

Omnivorous consumption refers to patterns of consumption that are not specific to a single class or cultural group. For example, a member of the upper class may hold musical interests stereotypical to his or her class, such as a knowledge of and ability to play classical music, but he or she may also hold an interest in indie rock. One’s omnivorous consumption tendencies, therefore, would demonstrate that one purchases classical sheet music as well as tickets to rock shows. Omnivorous consumerism is most pronounced among high-status individuals. Despite this pervasive status characteristic, omnivorous consumers are a diverse group, demonstrating their omnivorousness in different ways, including those who cross class (highbrow/lowbrow), those who define boundaries (legitimate/illegitimate), those who cross social norms (traditional/modern), and selective consumers who ...