Bourdieu argues that the field of cultural production is structured around two main axes: the opposition between the economic and the symbolic, and the opposition between the dominant and the dominated. The economic axis refers to the tension between the commercial and the non-commercial, where the former is driven by profit and the latter by artistic or intellectual ambitions. The symbolic axis refers to the struggle for recognition, legitimacy, and prestige within the field.

This is "mass" or "popular" culture. The goal is economic profit, and success is measured by sales, box office numbers, and broad public appeal. 3. Position and Position-Taking