IN BETTER COMPANY

The self-righteous look at others

Laura Wiesböck is a sociologist at the University of Vienna. She specialises in the causes and forms of social inequality and its (re)production through language. She has been honoured with the Theodor Körner Prize and the Bank Austria Research Prize for her academic work. In addition to academic articles, she regularly publishes in daily media such as Zeit Online, Standard, Wiener Zeitung and orf.at on topics such as sexism, political communication and the effects of labour migration in Europe.

Moderation Robert Misik, Author and journalist

„But we're all the same!“ The battle cry of enlightened society is also its biggest stumbling block: hardly any other assumption is so fragile. In reality, we strive to set ourselves apart from other people, other population groups, other thought patterns and other behaviours.
Man or woman, young or old, strong or weak, rich or poor, regardless of social status, religion or nation - the mechanisms are always the same: the less privileged insist on their honest „hacker status“ and rail against the snobs „up there“; the so-called educated middle classes shake their heads in pique at voters of right-wing populist parties and order the organic canister with a cosy feeling. Consumer behaviour is becoming a status symbol, the profession an identity and political difference an enemy. Sociologist Laura Wiesböck gets to the bottom of our longing for superiority with verve, humour and knowledge - and reveals some unpleasant truths in the process.

Laura Wiesböck:
In better company. The self-righteous view of others.
Kremayr & Scheriau 2018, €22.00 incl. VAT, ISBN: 978-3-218-01133-4