In cases where members of superior social classes do consume aesthetically inferior, goods, it is essential that they do so ironically—so that everyone knows that they know that these goods are inbad taste. This is the essence of kitsch. This ironic distance allows them to enjoy the inferior goods while avoiding the taint of inferiority associated with their consumption. The ironic distance allows them to preserve their distinction so that they will not be confused with those who simply like black velvet paintings or Arborite tables or Tom Jones songs. The kitsch consumer, usually through an exaggerated consumption style, shows everyone that he is "in on the joke," and thus preserves the sense of superiority or distinction that elevates, or "aestheticizes," the goods he is consuming.
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