Understanding Cultural Omnivorousness: Or, the Myth of the Cultural Omnivore

TLDR

The omnivore thesis posits that a segment of Western populations engages in a broader range of cultural activities, signaling shifting values of tolerance and challenging traditional hierarchies. The article examines the validity of the omnivore thesis using UK cultural participation data. Researchers identified omnivores via a survey and then conducted in-depth qualitative interviews to analyze the meanings of omnivorousness. The study finds widespread cultural participation in the UK, yet the omnivore profile is less distinct than previously claimed.

Abstract

The concept of omnivorousness has become influential in the sociologies of culture and consumption, cited variously as evidence of altered hierarchies in cultural participation and as indicative of broader socio-cultural changes. The ‘omnivore thesis’ contends that there is a sector of the population of western countries who do and like a greater variety of forms of culture than previously, and that this broad engagement reflects emerging values of tolerance and undermines snobbery. This article draws on the findings of a study of cultural participation in the UK to explore the coherence of the omnivore thesis. It uses a survey to identify and isolate omnivores, and then proceeds to explore the meanings of omnivorousness through the analysis of in-depth, qualitative interviews with them. It concludes that, while there is evidence of wide cultural participation within the UK, the figure of the omnivore is less singularly distinctive than some studies have suggested.