Why do we have to wear clothes in public?
- Thread starter heyheysg
- Start date
Manifest vs Latent functions.
(What I am about to say, has already been vaguely covered so I will not invest a great deal of consternation in the matter, but I will attempt and elucidate further into the concept.)
Manifest functions are those things that an item readily is suited for. A pot for holding water, a car for shuttling a person to work, and clothes for sheltering us from the elements. The manifest functions are usually easy to identify and are apparent to multiple viewers.
Latent functions are those things that an item of which is applied to a subtle purpose. We do not always think about that purpose, nor do we realize that we are readily pandering to that function. The pot may have been bought for aesthetic appeal even though the household would never put water in it, the car might have been purchases because the 'Jones' down the street recently acquired a new car, and you want to maintain your image in the neighborhood.
Clothing has multiple latent functions of which I shall enumerate.
1. Covering the body from sight.
2. The ability to express one's self through image
3. Readily identifying those with whom you are inclined (social cliche)
4. Gang affiliation
5. And general, good old fashioned social competition
That takes care of my perspective. Take care all.
(What I am about to say, has already been vaguely covered so I will not invest a great deal of consternation in the matter, but I will attempt and elucidate further into the concept.)
Manifest functions are those things that an item readily is suited for. A pot for holding water, a car for shuttling a person to work, and clothes for sheltering us from the elements. The manifest functions are usually easy to identify and are apparent to multiple viewers.
Latent functions are those things that an item of which is applied to a subtle purpose. We do not always think about that purpose, nor do we realize that we are readily pandering to that function. The pot may have been bought for aesthetic appeal even though the household would never put water in it, the car might have been purchases because the 'Jones' down the street recently acquired a new car, and you want to maintain your image in the neighborhood.
Clothing has multiple latent functions of which I shall enumerate.
1. Covering the body from sight.
2. The ability to express one's self through image
3. Readily identifying those with whom you are inclined (social cliche)
4. Gang affiliation
5. And general, good old fashioned social competition
That takes care of my perspective. Take care all.