Class signaling via Apple products

[firecat]

"A Macbook Pro is just as much of a status marker as a Louis Vuitton purse or a BMW."

I recoil at the notion because I think Vuitton purses and BMWs signal a different class than ones I identify with. (At least I tend to have prejudices about people who have those things—I'll assume "not like me" unless I get evidence to the contrary.) But I do think that, in California at least, there's a class I might call "hi-tech professionals" and having Mac products can signal identification with it.

FWIW, I think I'm kind of clueless about class.

Anyway, it's interesting to contemplate. What do you think?

Comments

[hobbitbabe]

I agree with your commenters who point out that "is just as much of a status marker" doesn't have to mean that it signifies the same things about the status.

But also, there's another interesting question. Do the people choose and display the things at least partly in order to have a status marker? Or do they carry them for other reasons, but inadvertently declare something about themselves because they do?

I bought my first iPhone (the first model available in Canada, on the second day they were available) at least partly to impress people and say something about myself. It used to work that way too! Now, it doesn't say as much. I carry it for a lot more reasons now, but it is still a status marker too. It doesn't say early-adopter Apple-fan, but it does say that I have money and value ubiquitous connection.

On the other hand, I didn't choose to get an MEC brand backpack and carry it around for nine years in order to send a signal of "this here is a Canadian, someone who believes in non-profit co-ops, someone who is active outdoors and pays for expensive-ish things but keeps them for a long time." I got it because a family member had the same one in a different colour, and I kept it because it works - but it does signal all those things above to someone in the know.

I wouldn't recognise a Macbook pro as distinct from any other kind of portable Mac computer, and I wouldn't recognise a Louis Vuitton purse either. If you told me that a character in fiction had a Louis Vuitton purse, I'd assume that it was a woman, that she was wearing makeup, was at least 40, and probably had old money. If you told me that a character in fiction had a Macbook Pro, I'd assume that the details of the computer mattered to the character, that he or she probably upgraded frequently in order to do something for self-employment or non-paying passions.

[firecat]

Do the people choose and display the things at least partly in order to have a status marker? Or do they carry them for other reasons, but inadvertently declare something about themselves because they do?

I also have this question: how many people think they are doing something for personal reasons but are actually (also) being influenced by the status message they think it sends? I think I use Apple products because I'm used to them and drive a Prius because I like saving money on gas. But maybe the status messages matter too in a way I'm not aware of.