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Consumption Chronicles: Navigating a Consumer Society

Explore the shift to a consumer society, the impact of mass media on consumption, rising debt and less savings, social comparison and status consumption, and the politics of consumption. Analyze the effects of overconsumption on happiness, environment, and inequality. Delve into the rise of competitive consumption and changing consumer behaviors. Uncover the role of consumer confidence and the evolving dynamics of consumer activism.

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Consumption Chronicles: Navigating a Consumer Society

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  1. Journalism 614:Consumer Culture and Opinion

  2. A Consumer Society • A nation of shoppers • Mass and Micro Marketing • Shopping Malls • Online Purchasing • Bargain Hunting • Yet some argue consumption produces unease • Americans are preoccupied with getting and spending • Losing touch with deeper values and ways of living • Withdrawing from community life

  3. Source & Effects of the Shift • What has caused this shift to a consumer society? • Some say mass media presentations of the “good life” • Media driving consumer sentiments and opinions • Began with conspicuous consumption (for display) • Current form‘competitive consumption’ (to win) • Used to “Keep up with the Joneses”: conspicuous consumption • Now we try to emulate the lifestyles of luxury seen on TV

  4. Buying ≠ Satisfaction • Yet American’s find little satisfaction in buying • American buying more than ever • Working longer hours to afford purchases • More debt and less savings = life stressors • Less happy with life and its direction • Environmental degradation tied to overconsumption

  5. Yet consumption continues to rise

  6. The Output Bias:Rising annual hours of work, CPS, 1967-2000 (Schor, 2006)

  7. Work Longer to Make More

  8. Americans work longer hours…

  9. Mid-wage sectors working longer

  10. Savings Rate vs. HH Debt

  11. Income and Happiness:GDP per capita v. % very happy, US 1946-1996 (Layard 2005)

  12. Overconsumption and ecological / environmental consequences

  13. Our Ecological Footprint

  14. Per Capita Footprints by Country

  15. Sustainability is the Focus

  16. Veblen and Status Consumption Models

  17. Features of Status Models • Social positioning produce status consumption • We look to those a rung above us to determine acceptable opinions and behaviors, fashions and purchasing • Game is played through visible consumption • Must be seen to be part of a status game - who is ahead? • Trickle down model • middle class emulate upper-middle, who emulate the rich, who emulate the ultra-rich • Consumption is social, a way to marking ones social belonging and class status - badges of belonging

  18. Social Comparison & Rising Inequality

  19. Bourdieu and Distinction • French sociologist who observed that class status is gained, lost, and reproduced through consumption • Our clothing, car, home, and media use display our social position • Can gain or lose access to social circle by displaying appropriate taste, manners, culture • Consumption helps to maintain basic patterns of power and inequality - this is why it matters. • Now = “preppy”, “sporty”, “beach”, “hipster”, “bohemian”, “street”, “punk”, etc.

  20. New Consumerism • Neighbors are no longer the point of comparison • Upscale emulation parallels the decline of neighborhood life • Income and wealth concentrated in top 20% • Surge of conspicuous consumption at the top • Most no longer satisfied with middle-class life • Aspiration gaps • Desires outpace incomes and opportunities • Massive credit card, car, and student loan debt • Low job prospects for some • Varies by education level and quality of institution

  21. Credit Card, Auto, and Student Loan Debt

  22. Prospects vary by education

  23. The Rise of Competitive Consumption • Movement of women into the workforce • Decline of neighborhood contacts • Workplace, with wider range of social classes, becomes point of upward comparison • Less time with friends and family, more at work and front of the television • Consumption cues from work and television

  24. Consumer Confidence • Consumer confidence is a driver of economy

  25. Consumer Knows Best? • Assume consumers are rational • Assumes consumers are well informed • Assume consumer preferences are consistent • Assume consumer preferences are independent • Assume consumption does not reduce public goods • But consumers are no more deliberative than citizens • Neither purely rational nor deluded, duped, and manipulated • In fact, they are one and same - consumer citizens • Artificial distinction - consumption can be civic/political

  26. A Politics of Consumption • Changing opinions driving changes in markets and society • Right to a decent standard of living • Ex. Fair trade coffee • Quality of life rather than quantity of stuff • Ex. Downshifting • Ecologically sustainable consumption • Ex. Global warming & consumption • Democratize consumption practices • Ex. Starbury - Stephon Marbury • The politics of retailing • Ex. Walmart vs. mainstreeet • Consumer movements • Ex. Anti-globalism

  27. Consumer critique & activist practice Newdream.org

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