Status dynamics determine what counts as historically valuable

Evidence

Not everything old has historical value. Anthropologist Michael Thompson notes a difference between “transient” goods that never take on historical value and “durable” goods that do. In this chapter we’ll investigate the sources of historical value and see how it makes certain conventions endure beyond their initial fashion cycle. More important, we’ll learn that historical value isn’t independent from status value: status guides how communities construct their histories and determine what is remembered and celebrated. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 640

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Initial status value shapes whether a fashion becomes tradition — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 808; A ruler’s worth is judged by lasting cultural legacy — , A Year of World Stories, 4866; Everyday conventions carry status value that yields social rewards or penalties — W. David Marx, Status and Culture: How Our Desire for…, 153 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• A ruler’s worth is judged by lasting cultural legacy #exemplifies (0.85) — , A Year of World Stories, 4866
• Initial status value shapes whether a fashion becomes tradition #expands (0.82) — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 808