In search of a new middle class: a critical look at the concept of the society of singularities by Andreas Reckwitz

Abstract

The article examines the concept of the “society of singularities” by Andreas Reckwitz. According to the German sociologist, in the post-industrial society of late modernity, the “logic of the general” is inferior to the “logic of the individual” – the singular: the greatest value is not mass goods and services, but those that have unique cultural and symbolic value. Representatives of the highly educated “new middle class” who have succeeded in the “singularity” era value creative individualism most of all and strive for self-realization, openness and cultural diversity. This combines well with neoliberalism and globalization, which, in turn, contributed to growing socio-economic inequality and growing cultural contradictions. Accordingly, Reckwitz seeks to point out the problem of excessive “particularization” of society and the loss of the “generality”. Nevertheless, there is reason to believe that Reckwitz himself underestimates the problems he writes about and overestimates the positive aspects of “singularization”. The article shows that Reckwitz’s ideas about the “society of individuals”, the “new middle class” and the meritocratic nature of the new elites are extremely controversial. In the most “singular” (creative, associated with individual creativity) areas of activity, the middle class is extremely small, and in modern Western countries the dominant cultural and political position is occupied not by the smartest meritocrats, but by those who are able to attract the attention of the broadest masses and meet their aspirations.