Online Invidious Distinction

In our class readings, Jacob Nielsen talks about how almost half of Americans have low literacy rate. Because of this, a website must cater to people with low literacy if they intend to have a large, public-in-general type of audience. I contend that though this is true, the diction chosen for a website can target a particular audience as well as or in addition to an effective marketing strategy.

Thorstein Veblen is a famous institutional economist who formalized the idea of invidious distinction. What this means is that there are certain ways that the upper class demarcates itself from the lower classes. It upper class does this on purpose in order to show their status and their superiority.

The word choice on a website can create an invidious distinction. If you want your user to feel as if they are part of an elite group or chose individuals, then catering to the low literacy rate in America is contrary to your interests. A good website may have separate appeals to both classes or simply a strong appeal to one.

NOTES TO PONDER: Are their other reflections of invidious distinction in online strategy? Are website better served as targeted as possible or to a public-in-general type of audience?