Representation of Symbolic Violence and Social Inequality in High Society Film

Abstract

This journal article examines the theory of Pierre Bourdieu, a French sociologist, in the breakdown of mechanisms of symbolic violence or social injustice in inter-social class life. Bourdieu's ideas on the theory of habitus, capital, arena, violence, and symbolic power will be used as a perspective in exposing injustice in the film High Society. The occurrence of working relations between the upper class or conglomerates and the lower middle class cannot be separated from various forms of symbolic violence which form the basis for the formation of various other types of violence, such as physical, psychological, economic, sexual violence, and so on. Symbolic violence is a form of violence that is not easy to recognize. This symbolic violence often operates by utilizing the discourse of symbols that affect the leadership, domination, power, and so on of one group by another group. The root of this problem occurs through the habitus of poverty and powerlessness that is experienced both economically, culturally, socially, and other symbolic capital. The symbolic violence that works in this film does not make the victims understand and understand that they are becoming objects and will not put up a fight.