The patterns of lifestyle in Iran

Introduction
Discussion and analysis about the styles of the life in Iran are influenced by matter about the style of the life and its position in social sciences and specifically in sociology. Therefore, in this article, at first, the brief definition of '' lifestyle'', its position in sociology and related criticism and theories will be expressed and then the kinds of lifestyles will be discussed in Iran.
The patterns of lifestyle have not had specific situation from conception and experimental aspects in the opinion of experts. Therefore, any kinds of debate and discussion can present some solutions about this area and can specify the factors of lack of appropriate understanding. Hence, we are not trying to present the pattern of lifestyle of Iranian persons in this writing and we will analyze only the kinds of lifestyles in Iran.
1. What is '' lifestyle''?
There are different interpretations about lifestyle. For example, in a definition, '' lifestyle'' is interpreted as a pattern of social reaction that distinguishes persons and social groups. In this definition, emphasis on the pattern of social reaction distinguishes this conception with other conceptions such as social classification. It has been expressed in another definition '' lifestyle is the way of living that expresses the values of a person or a group''.
Since there is difference among persons and social groups from each other, there are millions definitions about lifestyle. Of course, if persons are similar to each other and social groups are not different from each other, we will not have definitions about lifestyle as many as human population.
Lifestyle is one of the conceptions of social sciences that has a lot of uses. After the conception of lifestyle is presented and it is welcomed by the new generation of researchers, there are a lot of criticisms about it in comparing to other conceptions of social classification. Some persons consider this conception ambiguous and some other persons have presented some supporters of lifestyle and basic conceptions such as the habits of consumption, wearing clothes, talking, travelling, spending free time and … in order to defend the conception of social classification.
In recent decades, this conception with studies of Pir Burdive and his colleagues has been paid more attention. He has dealt with the criticism of views of classes with the pivot of economy in the book '' distinction''. He considers contemporary society as a distinct society according to the kinds of cultural, social and economic properties. Therefore, the society of Burdive is more complex and developed than the society that Marx and Vebre have talked about. He considers the survival and development of new society as social, cultural and economic distinctions rather than only economic distinctions. Burdiv has used the system of new conception such as taste, field, the kinds of wealth and cultural wealth in a specific way and lifestyle so that he can express this meaning.
A point that is expressed in the matter of lifestyle as an approach in the understanding of modern society is lack of unity and coherence according to the kind of social classification. Hence, there are different persons and social groups in contemporary society whose behaviors express the organization of the society. Persons and social groups that have been distinct from each other with the implementation of the process of identity recognition do not have intention, chance and need in contrast and struggle with each other. On the other hand, they do not want to be in complete declination. Therefore, persons and social groups are in the process of social collaboration and two processes of distinctions and organized relationships and have specific factor.
The center of the discussion of '' life style'' of persons and groups has been distinct. We can relate matters that are about lifestyle with the theory of Turstin Weblen about high class. He claims that the rich members of American society try that they imitate the lifestyle of high classes of European Countries. They show wealth that they have gained in with different manners and behaviors. Weblen has considered this behavior as '' fictional consumption''.
The center of consumption, whether fictional or real, has dominated on the area of the production of modern society and the people of large citifies applied their main attempts for the consumption of presented goods by sellers. The formation of consumption center of people in large cities have accompanied with the new styles of the life and each one has effect on another one.
2. Modern life and lifestyle
Lifestyle is a conception for the understanding of new conditions and it is used about the life of persons in large citifies because large and new citifies have been organized with the structures of consumption and fun and persons and social groups have come not for work and attempts but for consumption and the presentation of the kind of their life. In contrast with old tradition, they have come the main square of the city in order to rest and have stayed at the city so that they can defend new life because in modern era, there are no extended invasions of enemy. There is no need for the design of tower for dealing with surprising invasions of unknown persons. If there is an enemy, he or she is unknown and lives with all persons. The enemy of contemporary human lives with contemporary persons. Although contemporary persons know that the consumption of presented goods needs more activity for him or her, but he or she feels that his or her identity is in the shopping of goods and their consumption. Hence, an element that distinguishes between work and the life, work and consumption, between work and profit from the consumption of goods and so forth is not seen.
3. The development of the conception of lifestyle
The most basic conception that we are looking for in this article is the recognition of lifestyle and the patterns of lifestyle in Iran. Before we enter the main issue, it is necessary to pay attention to the following points and principles:
Without belonging specific tradition of thinking and theory, there is no possibility for the presentation of exact discussion. This principle is true about the pattern of lifestyle in Iran because persons that discuss about lifestyle belong the sociology of postmodern, Weberi, Nimzimeli and Webleni. Of course, persons that discuss about this area are not influenced by a single approach. It is necessary that we get familiar with and belong this tradition that is different from the tradition of experimental sociology of America and the sociology of European of philosophy and theory. In this tradition, principle is not based on the expression of social statistics or the presentation of the matters of theory and conception. A sociologist should pay attention to around himself or herself and can present an exact narration about changes. Hence, belonging a specific tradition of sociology that is not experimental, statistics, philosophical and fictional can lead to the recognition of new conditions in contemporary society.
If we do not pay attention to the above principle, we imagine and fancy. Since Iranian people have more tendency toward modern life, we will fancy more. On the other hand, interrupting the matter will have no use for Iranian people and it can lead to harm and disadvantages. It seems that the matter of lifestyle will have such a destiny such as discussing about modernism, modernization, postmodern and its examples because we do not know what part of modernization we are discussing without any use from the matter of modernization and without paying any attention to it. We will likely have such a destiny about the matter of life style. Hence, we should pay attention that we discuss about this matter patiently so that we can find a solution for it.
We should discuss and think for the presentation of an appropriate solution because prudent thoughts about each area can become a part of our theoretical history and it remains for us.
The matter of lifestyle formed in a situation in the world and the society had been permanent from social and structural aspects. It means that the destiny of thinking area, political action and economic behaviors were clear. In other words, belief in permanence and the want of permanence was clear and obvious. One of the features of this society that is completely permanent is its classification. From the opinion of all persons that work in the area of social sciences, the society of the west is completely classical. Hence, since it is a completely classical society, the presentation of discussion and debate is based on the interests of groups and classes and they have certain and feedback. For example, when it was discussed about a new area that was called '' cultural studies'' in the world of the west, specifically England, its opponents and supporters specified and it can be discussed as well as criticized. Hence, the permission of the publication of most matters that had not been written, the establishment of courses, the employment of instructors, the compilation of a book , the establishment of a club, the establishment of chair for speech, the payment of money for doing research and most of affairs related to cultural studies was issued and its criticism was possible. Some persons agreed with this matter and others disagreed with this and doing a lot of researches and writing books about this area started. Cultural studies were as much as they influenced international area and most of universities of different countries paid attention this area and disagreed with it. Iranian society stood against this major, had some persons suppress it, eradicated cultural studies, dismissed professors and wanted to pressurize and suppress such persons and pressure increased as much as the religion, morals, science, knowledge and the scientific and research background of such persons were hesitated in a serious way.
Cultural studies, lifestyle and most of matters that have just been discussed in this realm has very long background in spite of the fact that it was discussed in last two decades. The clear and certain of these matters come back the decade of twenty and thirty of the twentieth century, but complete attention to it comes back the decades of 1970.
Discussion about life style as a part of the literature of contemporary social sciences that was presented in the literature of postmodern and in the area of cultural studies is new. But the basis of this matter in the west focuses on the special conditions of a permanent society, a society that has classical structures. It means that obligation is structural criteria and clear social system.
Another point that is related to previous point is the development of recognition and making this matter legitimate. To answer this question '' from where has the matter of lifestyle been presented and what conditions have made it gained?'', we should pay attention to the history of social thought. In the history of social thought, we are facing to an era that a new debate has been created about the nature of social matter in comparing to political, economic and cultural affairs. At the beginning, we arrive an era from historical aspect that the distinction of social affair are one of affairs that do not exist and it was an era that cultural and social affairs and the society did not exist and they were not known officially. This case can be observed in the era of classic and an era before the eras of modern.
Plato, Aristo, Farabi and most of intellectuals this generation are persons that do not talk about social and cultural affairs and if they say something, it refers to political area and they deal with the government, ruler and power more. If we face to such thoughts in some situations, we can refer to the matter of conception about the society and when social affair is emphasized, it is paid less attention and is given less attention to political affair whereas classical social philosophy was completely opposite in the past and it was paid attention to political affair rather than social affair. In an era before modern era, developments happened in the area of economy, society and economic organization and in the world of modern and modernization such developments appeared with the serious existence of economy and the implementation of economical affair and entered new era.
Some persons such as Marx that has discussed about this area celebrates the birth and life of economic affair and announce that modernization has economic nature and its structures are economic rather than political, social and cultural. Therefore, Marxism was criticized and critical matters were formed in the world. Therefore, the society has a classical condition and includes in belief in criterion, norms, variables and economic elements and it is looking for this condition that some intellectuals such as Weber and Weblen that do not have such a point of view and have social criticism from political affair appear and deal with the defense of a society that cultural and social nature.
The time of the birth of modern society is after the First World War. In the modern society, cultural and social affair is more important than political and economic affair. This affair belongs contemporary eras. Contemporary era means recent 60 or 70 years in the west. When the society changes, social and cultural affairs become more important than political and economic affairs and new criterion appear and one of them has been referred. Classical system is the most important element of the western society and the system of classical society is a society whose classical structures are certain and specified. The condition of the society is low, middle and high and the society finds identity with the organization of something under a name '' classical system''. Was the old society before the eras of classical modern or the era of federalization or the era of the First World War? Answer is positive, but it must be said that the classical society had only two classes. In fact, there was nothing under the name of middle class the same meaning as today and it did not exist. An event happened in new era and the formation of middle class is certain with identity. In contemporary era, the number of persons of this class became more and it was proved that it was qualified to stay and exist. Persons and intellectuals such as Marx did not betray in order to defend communism and paying attention to the conception of fairness and discrimination was valid for him, but his forms were the inappropriate omission of middle class and ignoring this class was considered as betrayal in the modern world by anyone. Therefore, we criticize Marx and believe seriously that lack of qualification of Marx as a social intellectual is that he decreases the share of middle class. Other persons made a mistake and explained social movements in this way. Persons that talk about social fairness and other persons that talk about inequality seem that basically they omit the share of middle class from the aspect of the recognition of understanding and do not accept an element that is called ''modern society'' formally.
What was said has university and experimental position. In spite of the fact that this matter should be expressed among university students, but its presentation is useful from practical aspect because when a society become modern, social and cultural affair dominates on economic and political affair, a clear and moderate conception from the society is formed. In other words, a modern society will be known formally if it is in line with classical structures and the pivot and centrality of an element that is called '' middle class''. This middle class in contemporary era has works, roles, benefits and disadvantages. It means that the society in the past could be controlled, but new society cannot be controlled. New society has been open and it is a postmodern society. The postmodern society is a society whose pivot is freed with middle class, groups and modern human. A society with the centrality of middle class has a lot of problems because this society is very developed and extended. Therefore, it is the center of developments and it has changed a lot. In these societies, if a place becomes the area of production and economic agency, there will be no place for social and cultural events. Hence, in modern societies, the role of managers and planners become less and role and centrality are given to middle class and from the aspects of theory and conception, a main event that is the appearance of modern human happens. Modern persons are not alien and are not aloof and rebellious. In spite of the fact that last intellectuals imagined that persons were modern and talked about such persons, none of intellectuals before the era of the First World War did not talk about modern human obviously and clearly. Human is the center of decision, action and need. In other words, it is a kind of social and cultural appearance and attendance rather than economic and political appearance. As a consequence, it can be claimed that two main events have happened from the aspects of conception and theory and social and experimental aspects influenced by the mentioned developments. First, the clarity of a modern society means classical society with the share of middle society. Second, modern human determines and leaves effects.
According to the above points, we can gain several points: first, if the discussion of this matter is accepted in Iran, criticism should be recognized formally. Second, the society of Iran is a classical society. Third, when we can defend the society of Iran, we can know its classical system. Fourth, persons that did not accept the classical system of Iran formally did not accept the society of Iran. Fifth, in the club of classical system of the society of Iran, the worry of middle class is the most serious matter and the element of middle class has more role. For example, the revolution was one of important events in the society of Iran. Persons that had effective role in the revolution were neither high class nor low class but middle class. This class plans the foundations of change and can cause change. Hence, this matter should be discussed in the way of Markesi. The purpose of this kind of point of view is to concentrate on middle class. In the society of Iran, middle class has been concentrated from the aspects of thoughts and experimental and practical ways. Sixth, in the literature of the society of Iran, it has been tried that middle class can be ignored. The society of Iran is the society of generation and the organization of this society is done through generation. Ninth, the organization of Iranian Society is done through considering genders and the attitudes, debates and behaviors of genders. Tenth, finally, it is the matter of citizenship. These cases are the new criteria that have happened in the society of Iran. If we look at all of these topics and matters together and see them in a point of view, new social philosophy will form and the matter of lifestyle and consumption will become meaningful.
We have four basics for the social action of Iranian people. One of them is the club of classes, the other one is generation, the third case is gender and the fourth case is citizenship and it is the modern conception of the society of citizenship that I imagine. This meaning can be seen in the expression of most of western intellectuals. Zimel discusses in the book '' large city and the life of mind'' that a modern city is not '' a space identity with the results of the recognition of the society'', but it is the identity of the recognition of the society that has been formed in the way of space''. Shops and fun facilities of cities such as music concerts, sport stadiums and movies in order to social and mental needs of the citizens of cities and towns.
It seems that the effect of class is much more important than other cases in opinion of Iranian people. Afterwards, generation, gender and the matter of modern city are important respectively. If we consider the effect of clubs and foundations for Iranian people, it can be said '' the area of classes is more important and then generation, gender, modern city and citizen are next elements. In most of time, citizen is more important than gender, generation and specific class. On the other hand, before we attend in the area of class, generation and gender, we are citizen.
The factor of unity of all these elements in the contemporary world of Iran is consumption in the society and consumption is the place of appearance of different lifestyles. Bakak has expressed this meaning in the book '' consumption'' well.
As we said, the writings of these two sociologists (Weblen and Zimel) were forgotten in Europe due to two world wars and fascism. After study and the analysis of consumption restarted, in the decade of 1980, the sociologists interested in their works once more. When new large shops had opened for the first time, their sociology started about the ways of the life in the western societies. These large shops presented their shoppers the kinds of goods such as furniture, groceries, clothes, pottery dishes and the appliances of the kitchen and electric tools that were produced for the market of consumption. In spite of the fact that grocery, butchery, fish shops, bakery and greengrocery were in the areas of local shopping, the central shops had the possibility of more options in comparing to the local shops. The large shops of the center of the city were created when electric buses and trails were built in order to take people from the suburbs of the city to the center of the city.
In comparing to the western city, priority and lateness are observed in our action and whether the narration is about the western society or the Iranian society, we talk about a change of the situation and this change of situation is that the society that we are dealing with in contemporary era has new nature with the centrality of social, cultural, political and economic affair that is seen in the west. In the Iranian Society, an event has happened accidently and it means that in contrast with the west, whatever we have gained is not in the crisis of wealth system, but it is along with the crisis of morals and thought. In other words, whatever we have gained has not accompanied with the crisis of production and wealth. However, we are talking about the society under social and cultural affairs. In the new society, the new events such as fashion, consumption, comfort, luxury, making up, the importance of body, fun, enjoyment and the kinds of life styles should be considered.
4. What is lifestyle in Iran?
According to the above explanations, we have reached the theoretical, experimental and real explanations of the lifestyle. At the present time, it should be determined what lifestyle is and how it influences our cultural and social system. We can refer to the atmosphere of the above conception for knowing from where we have acquired lifestyle. But we should follow the meaning of lifestyle throughout the history. For example, if we look at Valiasr Street, Shahrakgharb Street, Iran Zamin Street, Pasdaran Street, Narmak Street and Enghelab Street, we will see how the society acts and in spite of the present objective observation, it cannot be an appropriate way in order to understand the new conditions of the society because it does not express all realities. In other words, if we do not have a historical approach to the history, we cannot understand the way of the organization and the appearance of the contemporary society of Iran and will not extract something from this observation from the aspect of social planning. It seems that what is important for us is the matter of social commitment and political commitment. This commitment shows attention toward the conditions that are related to historical past and the way of the development of Iranian Society more and from this point of view, the nature and kinds of the lifestyle of Iranian society will be gained.
In this kind of the matter, the patterns of lifestyle make Iranian people commitment to social and cultural affair rather than political and economic affair. In other words, at the present time, human claims that the organization and management of the society is according to social and cultural aspects rather than political and economic aspects.
We should refer to the factors and clubs of Iranian Society in contemporary era about the meaning of the lifestyle. It should be mentioned that basically this matter is a distinct matter. It means that we are facing to a case and a conception named '' social and cultural distinctions'' and then we talk about a condition that there is no possibility of the change to three areas or two levels of the society, low class and high class. Hence, basically, the lifestyle expresses the ways of the expression of social and cultural distinctions. It should be reminded that these ways are influenced by four elements, class, generation, gender and citizen in the society of Iran. These four elements are combined. It means that the classification of the society of Iran has finished and generation is only feature of this society.
As a consequence, this combination means with the presence of social new forces and these forces do a series of activities in the market of consumption and effectiveness in the area of buying and selling organizes the social life of Iranian people. Therefore, such a condition is created among these four factors and the four mentioned elements. Therefore, an Iranian person appears as an Iranian modern person appears and he or she shows himself or herself in different conditions in specific ways.
At the present time, an Iranian modern person is looking for distinction. These distinctions do not have only classical aspect, but they also include other kinds of distinctions. At the present time, classical distinctions do not happen between the city and the village. With looking at the identity cards of people, we can understand that a lot of persons have omitted the suffix of their names.
Now if it is asked '' there are different styles of the life'' in the society of Iran, can we say that there are three, four, ten, or fifteen different ways about lifestyles in Iran or not? The answer is negative and the society of Iran has not achieved such a situation and according to it, we can achieve clear judgments about the kinds of lifestyles.
One of main features of the lifestyles of the society of Iran is its duplication. In other words, we are in the condition of duplication in the area of social action and the kinds of the styles of the life are not possible about it. Moreover, we were trying to suppress middle class and to omit the new styles of the life. Therefore, the second lifestyle of Iran is that it is always under shadow. Hence, with the activation of middle class, the new styles of the life enter the society and in contrast, with setting limitations for the society from the aspect of classes and classifying it to two classes, rich and poor, the life is under shadow and it extends.
The life styles of the life of Iran are influenced by family and the religion. These styles have the life under shadow beside and into the system of family and religious system and they have religious attribute and public attribute and due to the existence of the kinds of families, they are duplicated.
Some of our lifestyles are religious, some of them have family structure, others are beyond classes and still others belong specific social groups. These cases are the various kinds of styles and the ways of the life in Iran. For example, there are different ways for spending free time and this shows different lifestyles in Iran.
5. Conclusion
Although there is the conception of lifestyle in the though and ideas of Max Weber, Turstin and Webelen, its existence belongs two recent decades and is influenced by the works of Bourdive , development in classical system and the formation of the life of citizenship with youths and new generation. As it was said, lifestyle has been implemented with the pivot of middle class, women, youths and consumption. If the suppression of middle class is followed as a policy, lifestyles will form secretly and if middle class gains power, the mentioned lifestyles will appear and the society will develop.
Although the lifestyle of Iranian society has a specific pattern, production, the pivot of consumption, middle class, family, religion, modern person and the life of citizenship are the main attributes and features of this lifestyle. According to these considerations, we can remind the life style of Iranian people according to historical and cultural background.