Every generation has a landmark book that describes their way of life and the impact technological changes, political or economic crisis has in their behaviors and beliefs.
In the 70s Daniel bell wrote “The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social Forecasting “. He described a new kind of society, the post-industrial society. He argued that post-industrialism would produce a society where the most valuable asset would be information and services (the ”know how”). Bell also argued that the post-industrial society would replace the industrial society as the dominant system. There are three components to a post-industrial society, according to Bell:
- A shift from manufacturing to services,
- The centrality of the new science-based industries
- The rise of new technical elites and the advent of a new principle of stratification
In the 80s Anthony Giddens, a prominent thinker in the field of sociology, developed his theory of structuration. He addresses whether structure or agency is the primary driver of human behavior. He thinks neither is more important than the other and a combination of both is what drives human behavior today. In the ‘90s he got into politics with “a Third Way” that reconciles the policies of the political left and the political right in order to form a system of ethical socialism–a balance of capitalism and socialism. Not a happy ending!
Bobos in paradise by D Brooks probably is the extension of Bell’s work, in a “Vanity Fair” shoot. He does not do a deep sociological analysis of the new class but accurately describes its behavior. Brooks coins the term “Bobo” (bohemian bourgeois) and describes their life in Paradise. This Paradise has gourmet coffee shops, vintage anything stores, exotic restaurants and clothing stores which sold ties and ripped pants in the same space. The new bourgeois loves quality, can afford the price but deep inside feels guilty and needs to dress up its wealth.
And in my humble opinion Restoration Hardware is the epitome of such behavior. This is a store where furniture seems to be old, really old and is expensive… really expensive. The last letter from the CEO is a perfect example of that contradiction between security and transgression. Take a look:” We, like Vitruvius, believe the most pleasing environments are a reflection of human design. They are a study of balance, symmetry and perfect proportions. We respect the hierarchy and important relationships between architecture, furniture and décor that create harmony. It’s a discipline of addition through subtraction, where less becomes more, and calm is created through continuity. The result is a design where the whole becomes more valuable than the parts.”
Vitruvius was an architect of the roman era, so he represents an iconic unknown figure of and idealized world (Patrician romans lived long lives, but their servants and slaves …. lived in hell and child mortality was very high!). In the next statement a platitude, all designs are human. Ok, let me get this straight: Some designs are more comfortable than others but all of them are human, that is all that there is, no UFO came to earth and left some furniture for us (a non-human design). Then the idea of balance and harmony, Bobos will never make a revolution. The next platitude is an intrinsic contradiction, very applauded these days “less is more” and the last one is epic” the whole becomes more valuable than the parts” we dissolve individuality…. Though this is the hallmark of our days … the agency as described by Giddens is the primary driver nowadays (me, myself and I).
As described by D Brooks the old establishment in the late fifties and sixties no longer believed in the system (the WASP code) and opened the gates. Then Bobos arrived through those gates, and they want to stay, feel guilty about it but do not want to make or suffer any revolution.
There is another line of thought, RH provides something that Bobos need, a return to nature, that furniture with its ascent of old respectability has also a connection with our roots, with nature. Bobos want to live in sync with nature, and wood from sustainable forests makes the cut in the living room.
References
Introduction to sociology by A Giddens, 1982
The third way by A Giddens, 1998
Bobos in Paradise by D Brooks 2000
Restoration Hardware, Letters from the CEO 2018 Spring
The Coming of Post-Industrial Society: A Venture in Social Forecasting by D Bell, 1973