Introduction (1/2 Page)
Whether for good or bad, people consume in order to feel good about them. This might occur through fitting-in, feeling confident, participating in the culture of shopping, or communicating with others. Consumerism has become a universal behaviour amongst most people and groups. According to Sharon Boden, consumption is affected by both external and internal constraints and expectations (150). I argue that consumerism and consumption is no longer an accurate indicator of a person’s actual status and wealth. This takes place with increased accessibility to commodities and experiences. For example, driving a Mercedes-Benz is no longer symbolic of being wealthy or from the upper class, as people are able to lease or take out loans for purchasing such luxuries.
We see outrageous disparity in wealth everywhere today, yet people of different social classes may drink the same wine, go to the same symphony, or lease the same vehicle. Although stereotypes and emphasis on public image are common within this judgement-based society, they do not measure up when it boils down to ‘who is purchasing what.’ There are endless trends happening in relation to consumerism, such as the increase in consumption, the idea of fitting in, etc. This paper analyzes five different scholarly books to determine why consumerism and consumption is no longer an accurate representation of wealth and status. First I will provide a theoretical and historical background on the topic of consumption, then I will discuss the following categories: symbolic indulgence, symbolic deprivation, and finally, the convergence of classes.
Subtopic: Theory and Methodology (I Page)
The five scholarly books examined are as follows: In Longing a...
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...s to reduce consumerism and consumption in society will require for people to boycott a cause or company, disenabling them from functioning. Alternatively, people have the option of being more resourceful and creative with their time and money.
References
Aspers, Patrik. 2010. Orderly Fashion: A Sociology of Markets, Princeton, NJ:
Princeton University Press.
Boden, Sharon. 2003. Consumerism, Romance and the Wedding Experience,
Houndmills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Johnston, Josée and Shyon Baumann. 2010. Foodies: Democracy and Distinction in the
Gourmet Foodscape, New York: Routledge.
Pugh, Allison J. 2009. Longing and Belonging: Parents, Children, and Consumer
Culture, Berkeley, CA: University of Berkeley Press.
Zukin, Sharon. 2005. Point of Purchase: How Shopping Changed American Culture,
New York: Routledge.
In the introduction, de Grazia lays the groundwork for why we should be concerned with how gender impacts the study of consumption. Simplistic notions of naturally or inevitably identifying the female sex with shopping sprees are challenged in favor of a deeper inquiry into the assumptions revolving around AMr. Breadwinner@ and AMrs. Consumer@(3). Instead of merely debating whether consumption is liberating or oppressive, these essays are concerned with the study of consumption in terms of the construction of gender roles, class relations, the family, and the state.
Through out the world, thousand of starving people look wherever they can for scraps of food or spare change. On the other hand, millionaires and billionaires can buy a private jet to fly anywhere on a whim while eating the finest of foods. In the middle, ordinary people work regular twelve-hour days in order to pay the bills and put food on the table. Each person can be in a different category. Most often you can tell which category an individual is in by looking at the things they own. Consumerism, or the push to buy goods and services, is not a new thing. It has been around since the very first sale or trade centuries ago. Although today, controversy has arisen about the rapidly growing rate of consumerism and how it affects the economy around the world. Is the current rate of consumerism a good or bad effect on the economy? Also, what are some ways to help people understand consumerism better? As I do research and explore, I hope to find the answers to these questions in order to understand the issue better myself.
We’re moving from a conspicuous consumption — which is ‘buy without regard’ — to a calculated consumption -These are the words of analyst Marshal Cohen. What Marshal Cohen is saying in this statement that buying cool, expensive, classier stuff for personal or for house does not make us happy. This kind of stuff that impresses other people or looks cool or posher may give temporary or momentarily happiness but at the end it may end up as wasteful junk or silly purchases. And even someday we may regret for these purchases.
Conspicuous consumption is that people spend higher price to buy goods such as luxuries bags. They spend more money to buy one thing is because they want to show off their wealthy and display their social class is higher than the general people. On the other hand, the conspicuous leisure is producing products in an inefficient way to demonstrate the higher social class. However, in contemporary society, people prefer to use conspicuous consumption than the conspicuous leisure to illustrate how rich they are because it is more overt, tangible and easy to show in
In 1899 Thorstein Veblen wrote The Theory of the Leisure Class: An Economic Study of Institutions. In this work, Veblen presented critical thinking that pertains to people’s habits and their related social norms. He explores the way certain people disregard the divisions that exist within the social system, while subsequently emulating certain aspects of the leisure class in an effort to present an image of higher social status. He also presented the theory of conspicuous consumption, which refers to an instance when a person can fulfill their needs by purchasing a product at a lower cost that is equal in quality and function to its more expensive counterpart; however, said person chooses to buy the more expensive product, by doing so, they are attempting to present an image of a higher social status. The almost 110 year cycle between 1899 and 2010 reveals few differences in buying behaviors, other than the differing selection of luxury goods to indulge, or over-indulge in.
In his work, “Overselling capitalism,” Benjamin Barber speaks on capitalism’s shift from filling the needs of the consumer, to creating needs. He tells how it has become easier for people to borrow money, so that they no longer get as much satisfaction from affording necessities. He says capitalism can be good when both sides benefit, but it has overgrown and must continue creating needs, even though the only people who can afford these needs don’t have any. According to Barber, people are still working hard, but them and their children are becoming seduced by unneeded shopping. He states that people are becoming more needy, and losing discipline in their lifestyle. Additionally capitalism must encourage easy and addicting shopping to
The relationship between spending habit and social position are inextricable. Just as Gatsby has been striving to become a member of the traditional upper-social class like Tom and Daisy. His conspicuous consumption is to proof that he deserves Daisy. But is consumption able to reshape class fractions? Yet he is rejected again by Daisy in the summer of 1923. There lies an insurmountable gap between Gatsby and the Old Money—a gap that cannot be filled up by money—that is the taste.
It is believed that there is a tension between social classes in America. Typically, people of lower classes choose to imitate those of higher social status. As a result, advertisers have a tendency to take advantage of this tension in order to profit from people of the lower and middle classes. In “The American Upper Class,” G. William Domhoff says that “exhibiting high social status… is a way of exercising power” (Domhoff p.34),” which is something important to all social classes. According to Judi Puritz Cook, author of “Consumer Culture…Sales Discourse,” advertisements in print as well as in visual media seem to create “the promise of status mobility through consumption (Cook p.373).” In the article, Puritz explains how television programs on channels such as the Home Shopping Network are examples of how the media exploits the anxiety caused by social standing.
Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Hetherington K, and Harvard C.(eds) (2014, pg.126,142). He further claims, “This is the characteristic pattern of inequality in our contemporary consumer society one that contrasts with the lines of class and occupational status that characterised the major cleavages in Industrial society”. Bauman, Z, (1988) cited in Alan, J. (2014 pg. 275). Moreover, consumerism encourages people to consume creating their own identities, replacing Identities centred on production and work. Furthermore, Hayek in the ‘Ordering Lives Strand’ claims “The market should be free of political intervention allowing individuals to be free to pursue their own interests” Hayek, F.A. (1976). cited in Clarke, J. (2014 pg.380). However, Allen. claims “The ability to ‘buy into’ a particular lifestyle actively excludes others from it on the basis of lack of income and those unable to do so will be seen as unworthy or inadequate” (Allen, J. 2014 P. 278). Thus constraints can be seen placed on people through lack of income, turning differences into inequalities with evidence indicating that ‘People’s values, beliefs and status are now shaped by ‘Consuming’ rather than as in Industrial times by work, politics and religion’, (The Open University, 2016). Therefore, differences which turn into inequalities are as predominant in today’s consumer society as they were in our industrial
It also hints at the average American’s values, as he regards materialistic goods higher than basic essentials. So why do consumers spend money—typically on credit, money they do not have—on these glamorous objects? Julia Halpert, a journalist writing for The Fiscal Times, has the answer in her article “Millennials: Young, Broke, and Spending on Luxury”. Halpert expertly employs Jason Dorsey, a millennials expert, who explains that “brands represent a lifestyle and luxury goods provide a strong visual representation ‘that either I've made it’ or ‘I want to tell you I've made it’”. This justification demonstrates the common narcissist agenda, that possessing material goods are essential and it makes you socially above another person. A narcissist purchases luxury goods to show off, to display his elevated status and wealth in comparison to others. He wants to garner the jealousy and attention of others and create an environment that concentrates only him. And he, the narcissist, learns through celebrities and the
A resource shortage demands an increase in productivity effacting the gross domestic product (Grimes and Register 2016, 5). Schor provided three main contributing factors that led to the shift of consumerism. The first, is that women, particularly college educated women start moving out of the homes and into the social activities of society and into the workplace (Schor 2004). Being around other people in the workplace who were talking about upscaled consumption patterns led to more spending. The second factor is the fact that households had higher incomes to allow for more spending. The third factor was the media and television advertisements. Consumers were being exposed to what was available and were told they to could experience all the luxuries available. Upscaled housing, vehicles and clothing were all representative of status. These were visual examples of ones lifestyle that gave the appearance of success. Advertisment also, launched the “branding” era that changed the way consumers made purchases. The example that Schor gives in is water, prior to the 80’s water was just water but when advertising took over, they promoted various bottled waters that consumers felt if seen with would give them status. This applied to many products to include athletic shoes with the Nike, Addidas, and Converse logos on them, coffee like Starbucks, cloths with visible labels for Gap or Abercrombie and Fitch all gave a status to the consumer. An example of buying based on social status is my high school basketball team in the later 70’s. Being raised in a farm family of five children, money was tight. My high school basketball coaches decided we as a team would wear addidas high top sneakers. This was not a mandatory directive but highly encouraged . When I told my parents I need to buy these sneakers for around $100, they said no. Of course being a sophmore in high scholl
Luxury goods are not the necessities but are very much desirable to people which is supported by a share of money income. They are not easily available and affordable for everyone but due to the coming up of competition in market this has been changed. Nowadays, every individual wants to raise their self high and wants to be different from everyone. Since, the times have changed luxury goods have become more affordable for middle class consumers. Whenever we open our social media accounts such as Instagram, snapchats or news on internet or be it the reality shows, it is full of rich people showing off their dresses, bags, accessories etc. Such news put an impact on our inner thinking about our need to look and feel good through rich possessions. Several manufactured goods have become luxury goods as they are designer, durable and better quality. These goods are considered as luxury goods by the consumers because they play a role of status and class for those who showcase or owns them. These items are not necessarily better than less expensive substitutes are purchased with the main purpose of showcasing their wealth. These kinds of goods are object of socio-economic phenomenon which includes watches, jewelleries, designer clothes and accessories, large
However, the advertisers promoting these value and goods are not organizations, corporations, or governing powers, they are ordinary people. Annie White’s interactions with her Jamaican family living in America dictated the values she associated with American goods. According to White, many of her peers believed that owning any American goods meant an increase in status, because they saw America as a country which represented wealth and success (A. White, personal communication, October 15, 2016). As a result, many people rely on commodities and goods to indicate status. In his article, “Conspicuous Consumption” (1899), Thorstein Veblen suggests that “consumption of higher quality goods denotes his [or her] evidence of wealth. Being able to consume in due quantity and quality becomes an indication of inferiority” (Veblen, 2000, 190). In other words, consuming American goods– to indicate wealth and establish a social hierarchy in which they have the highest prestige over
Nowadays, consumers are attracted by “the combination of quality emotion and rarity” (Perry and Kyriakaki, 2014). Luxury items make them feel more prestigious even if these products do not have any functional utility. The importance of luxury in today’s world is the expression of the immaterial world; as cited by Solomon (1986) consumers are seen as “meaning creators, who live in a dynamic interaction with social and cultural environment” (Perry and Kyriakaki,
The quote above was taken from Marcuse’s book “One dimensional man.”(1964) Marcuse believed that the products of consumer capitalism indoctrinate and manipulate society to promote a false consciousness of needs which become a way of life. He saw this as another form of totalitarianism which binds consumers to producers and uses the pleasures of consumer lifestyle as instruments of control and domination. Therefore the question arises whether the culture of consumerism poses a profound threat to the freedom and individuality of the consumer.