...Consumerisms Effect Consumerisms Effect Consumerism is defined as, “the theory that an increasing consumption to goods is economically desirable; also: a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods” (“Consumerism,” n.d.). With this said, is consumerism healthy for anyone who is involved? From American cultures birth after the revolutionary war, this society has relished the flattery of consumerism. The search for wealth, material goods, and happiness has no boundaries in this society. Although some positive influences exist within consumerisms definition, a darker side to this phenomenon cannot be over looked. Consumerism reflects many negative human attributes and its increase is adversely affecting American culture, societal equalities, and the environment. Consumerism, in all its forms, has been around since the earliest times of American culture. From the earliest time of America, directly after the Revolutionary War, this attitude of need and want for material good and what was considered the best was very evident. One would think that during a life altering divide of nations the concept of consumerism would stop between them, but during this time, Americans still sought British goods. A high perceived value and thought pattern that these goods were of superior quality allowed these items to become a status symbol for early Americans. George Washington, weeks after signing a peace treaty with Britain, ordered a large...
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...Ryan Plunkett Ray Setters AMS 250 7 March 2013 The Culture of Narcissism Paper For over the past 30 years there has been a prevailing idea that American society has changed drastically. While it is undeniable that every person is different and there are always plenty of exceptions to the norm, in many ways our modern society has become very similar to what Christopher Lasch predicted in The Culture of Narcissism. Unfortunately, it would be safe to say that some modern people are in a state that is extremely pre-occupied with the self. The idea of narcissism came from psychology and is mostly attributed to Sigmund Freud. It was considered to be an extreme preoccupation with the self that distorted ones relationship to reality. This resulted in an inability to make a clear distinction between themselves as the subject and what existed outside them. They were so focused on themselves that they lost awareness of the real beyond them. Because the narcissist does not recognize the separate existence of 'the other' they tend to use reality as a mirror to reflect messages back to the self. The other is there to impress, to be admired by, and to get pity from. The Narcissist is so identified with his/her needs that the other person is simply there to be available for them. In his book The Culture of Narcissism Christopher Larsch describes the Narcissistic personality, “the Narcissist can function in the everyday world - and is often very charming. However, his devaluation...
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...1.1.1: They (the products) seem amusing on the first day of Christmas, daft on the second, embarrassing on the third. 1.1.2: Only 1 per cent of material being used in the economy remains in use six months after sale 1.1.3: Even the goods we might have expected to hold on to are soon condemned to destruction through either planned obsolescence or perceived obsolescence. 1.1: materials we buy are not used for long after the purchase 1: We use materials for short-lived pleasure that have long-lasting consequences for the planet 2.1: They are designed to elicit thanks, perhaps a snigger or two, and then be thrown away. 2: Many products we buy don’t have any use at all 3.1: People in eastern Congo are massacred to facilitate smartphone upgrades of ever diminishing marginal utility 3.2: Forests are felled to make ''personalised heart-shaped wooden cheese board sets'' 3.3: Rivers are poisoned to manufacture talking fish 3.4: manufacturing and consumption are responsible for more than half of our carbon dioxide production 3: The creation and purchases of these products are wasting, diminishing and destroying the planet’s resources 4.1.1: Growth depends on selling the utterly useless. 4.1: Governments cut taxes, deregulate business, manipulate interest rates to stimulate spending 4.2.1: Those who resist are denounced as lunatics 4.2: This is pathological consumption rendered so normal by advertising and by the media that we scarcely notice 4.3: Governments, the...
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...MEANING OF CONSUMERISM Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the purchase of goods and services in ever-greater amounts. The term is often associated with criticisms of consumption starting with Torstein Veblen. Veblen's subject of examination, the newly emergent middle class arising at the turn of the twentieth century, comes to full fruition by the end of the twentieth century through the process of globalization. In this sense, consumerism is usually considered a part of media culture. Consumerism is also used to refer to the consumerists movement, consumer protection or consumer activism, which seeks to protect and inform consumers by requiring such practices as honest packaging and advertising, product guarantees, and improved safety standards. In this sense it is a movement or a set of policies aimed at regulating the products, services, methods, and standards of manufacturers, sellers, and advertisers in the interests of the buyer. In economics, consumerism refers to economic policies placing emphasis on consumption. In an abstract sense, it is the belief that the free choice of consumers should dictate the economic structure of a society. It was first used in 1915 to refer to advocacy of the rights and interests of consumers but in this article the term consumerism refers to the sense first used in 1960, emphasis on or preoccupation with the acquisition of consumer goods (Oxford English Dictionary). DEVELOPMENT OF CONSUMERISM The development...
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...The Story of Stuff: A Review The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute film aimed at raising awareness on the dangers of excessive human consumption. Presented by Annie Leonard – an activist for consumerism and environmental sustainability (Story Of Stuff Project, 2013) – this video provides a simple yet well researched explanation on the ‘behind-the-scenes’ management of the life-cycle of common items consumed daily in the United States. From mining and manufacturing to distribution, consumption and waste, this presentation takes viewers on a journey to explore many missing fragments that are hardly ever reported in the system (Leonard, 2009). Watched by over 12 million people worldwide, and translated into over 15 languages (Roosevelt, 2010), Leonard has received both applauds and criticisms for her unapologetic condemnation of humans (especially Americans) – for their excessive consumption and wasteful habits – and her rather conspicuous allegation of the devious relationship between the government and private corporations. One significant issue that Leonard (2009) presented in the video was that, due to human activity, natural resources around the world are rapidly diminishing. Natural resources such as minerals and trees are constantly mined and felled to satisfy men’s insatiable appetite for more goods. The presentation revealed that in the last decade, one-third of the world’s resource base has depleted. Furthermore, it is said that only four percent...
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...Consumerism History of Consumerism Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the purchase of goods and services in an elevated amount. Consumerism as an ideology first appeared in Western Europe roughly three hundred years ago. It gave a rise in consumer’s need and importance to the display of material items. It promoted economic progress, a rise in small shops, an increase in the growth of cities, and an incline in individualism. A shift in the market hit right before the Industrial Revolution. Capitalist development and the industrial revolution focused on infrastructure and production and manipulation of fossil fuels. In 1919 consumerism began to sweep over the American population when General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) was established. The General Motors Acceptance Corporation mission was to issue loans to customers who had purchased a vehicle. Americans started the notion of “Keeping up with the joneses” which is the idea that Americans compare themselves to their neighbors, defining each stance in socio-cultural inferiority. With this new need for status with possessions was thought to be the beginning of the American consumer culture. Soon after The Great Depression and World War broke out. When the war-ceased consumers went wild, credit cards issued first for convince took off quickly to show status through the products each individual had. Consumerism gathered strength in the United States through internal trade growing, expansion...
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...Hyper consumerism is a major problem in America and I do not think this problem will ever change. That mindset of “keeping up with the Johnson’s” is so true within this generation. I just watched a video on YouTube called “you don’t need this” where Emitai Etzoni discusses want vs. need and how humans are actually very simple. A Human only needs three things to be satisfied and happy. The problem today is choice, the more choices equals the better chance that consumers will be satisfied because of such a large variety. Freedom of choice is nothing more than the freedom to buy and consume. With that being said the increasing the number of choices is not so much about improving human well-being rather it’s about expanding the market and making money. Everybody always wants more and more which to me means the pursuit of happiness is unattainable. Greed equals American consumerism no one’s satisfied ever I look at it as exactly the same concept as the old saying money can’t buy happiness. Occasionally it is okay to go and spend or splurge on something you want but today’s society works by wanting, working, buying, using, and rinsing. Same concept as a drug addiction except the withdrawal stage is just significantly longer than that of a heroin addict. I guess you could say that this greedy nation is plagued by the addiction of want vs. need. Ever seen a movie where kids or adults are enjoying a nice Coca-Cola or Pepsi? Back then it was the only pop around and it was a luxury to enjoy...
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...article, commercial announcements state to customers, it is simpler to display affection to a product then a person. “When was the last time you felt this comfortable in a relationship?” ask an ad for shoes. “You can love it without getting your heart broken,” proclaims a car ad. The author then expresses how society is enclosed by millions of ads that connect to our deep-rooted emotions within our relationships, which in turn links our emotions to a product. She gives examples of parents purchasing luxury vehicles for their siblings, for higher protection and anniversary of a relationship provides encouragement to purchase expensive jewelry. Kilbourne extremely voices, our society is becoming commercialism. She feels this, “Bottomless consumerism not only depletes the world’s resources, it also depletes our inner resources and it leads inevitably to narcissism and solipsism.” In her opinion, advertisements are transforming our values in a negative way and believe their intention is to leave society heartless, expecting products to fill our emptiness. This article also reveals three important approaches that ads use influence consumers into buying their products such as Tuned In, Unnatural Passions, and Substitute Stories. All of these approaches alternate different information, in contrasting ways. Tuned In is a method which uses named brand logos to release information about a product. Kilbourne explains...
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...The Attitude of Youth Populations toward Globalization What exactly are the youth views on globalization? First let’s start by defining globalization. Globalization refers to increasing global connectivity, integration and interdependence in the economic, social, technological, cultural, political, and ecological spheres. Globalization is an umbrella term and is perhaps best understood as a unitary process inclusive of many subprocesses that are increasingly binding people and the biosphere more tightly into one global system (Wikipedia, 2007). Next let’s verify the term youth. Youth is "The time of life when one is young; especially: a: the period between childhood and maturity b: the early period of existence, growth, or development" (Wikipedia, 2007). “Globalizing issues have effects on four major areas of international relations theory and practice. First, the interconnectedness of the plethora of subissues within health, environmental, and human rights issues affect international bargaining” (Mingst, 2004). These issues are talked about daily in the news. Often times when health issues are brought up it is related to youth whether it is HIV, STD’s, or just simple obesity. Often times these issues when viewed at by youth are things that do not affect them in actuality it affect them more so than adults. “Second, these globalizing issues themselves may be the source of conflict” (Mingst). With this being said it is evident why the world goes through epidemics...
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...acquired it, as long as you've got it. I think that judging people based off of what they own is a huge mistake. I think it's unfortunate we are constantly purchasing things because of a brand or a logo, but at the same time I don't practice what I'm preaching. It's interesting to me that as I begin to think about it, I don't think any of the nice things I own are bringing me happiness right now, they have only provided some form of instant gratification. If someone asked me what I have to be happy about, I'd provide the cliché answer along the lines of “a loving family, food, and a roof over my head”; that's the truth and none of the above cost a dime. Throughout the article's I read, I believe they reinforced my original opinions on consumerism but also broadened my understanding of the issue at hand and helped me realize how and why we have created the society we live in today. In his article, “Needing the Unnecessary”, author...
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...the same way ‘fashion’ is the word, which covers every possible craze of a particular age (how insensible it may be) in a sophisticated glamour. When handsome and charming Lord Byron, who walked with a limp, started writing poetry; it became a fashion all over England to walk with a slight limp. The word ‘fashion’ is usually related to dress, but it also relates to manners and ways of behaviour. With the fast growing consumerist culture everything which is advertised in a glamorous and charming manner becomes a fashion. For example, the advertisements of ice creams are so attractive that nowadays it has become a fashion to have ice creams in elegantly decorated ice-cream parlors. During our independence struggle, it was a fashion to wear khadi and speak Hindi. The British Raj faded but the relics of its past were so fascinating that speaking English came into vogue. But nowadays, when our culture has shaken hands with western culture, use of a queer mixture of both the languages has become a fashion’. This can be implied on many aspects of socio economic life. Where does the ‘fashion’ originate? It in fact originates in the minds of great economic authorities of a society, who influence the society in every possible way in the market, by producing new goods, in the field of media etc. The middle and low class people are simply hypnotized by whatever they want to feed to our body and mind. Since fashion keeps changing, it expands our area of wants and desires. It is not a bad...
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...In modern times, the term “consumerism” has been associated with a preoccupation with the acquisition of goods and commodities. Traditionally, it has been used with negative connotations – as a “problem” that indicates a lack of discretion among “buyers” and “consumers” regarding what goods to buy and why to buy them in an increasingly commercialized environment. Among Marxist thinkers especially, what happened has been linked to exploitation under industrial capitalism. Consumerism has been associated with the growth of industrial capitalism in Europe from the 18th century and its global spread thereafter – a development that was accompanied by economies of scale and increases in production and productivity. Such increases were sustained by growth in demand, both in the immediate neighbourhood of centres of production and further a-field. Improvements in technology and extensive use of the division of labour enabled manufacturers to produce on a large scale for “wants”, “needs” and “fashions”. Commercialisation of leisure and the penetration by innovative manufacturers, of religious practices, public health, and education reinforced the habits of acquisition and increasing “consumption”. In European society, in these circumstances, availability of goods ceased to be a substantial problem. Rather, more important were means to ensure that they were in demand and “consumed”. If this was not achieved, “gluts” and economic depressions would take place, affecting...
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...Poetry is an art form in which people can express their opinions and feelings about certain ideas. Poetry communicates an idea, a sentiment or concept significant to the poet’s life, Bruce Dawe’s “Americanized” develops a concern of human attitudes towards cultural imperialism and consumerism. To depict these ideas, Dawe characterises a mother and son as America and a younger, developing nation. The poet imparts a concept of America’s consumerist society indoctrinating other nations with their western culture as an act of cultural imperialism. He also employs various other poetic techniques to assist him in campaigning the issues of cultural loss of another country such as, extended metaphor, rhetorical question, alliteration, irony, entrapment, foreshadowing, denotation, motifs and punctuation marks to further emphasise his points. The study of his poem allows us sight into the concerns of consumerism and cultural imperialism. ** there's no need to list techniques and repeat your ideas... America’s rise in cultural power has caused a raging concern from Bruce Dawe, to bring this about; he ( you mean Bruce ...expresses his emotions and opinions through his poem “Americanized”. He adopts a pun in the title to exemplify the expansion of American vocabulary into Australian literature. Not only does this pun emphasise his point on Australia being lost in America’s culture, but it also foreshadows the extended metaphor he utilises in the mother and son of the story. The mother is...
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...Lecture Two: Advertising and Consumer Culture 1. Role of Advertising in Society * Does advertising create unnecessary wants? * The primary function of advertisements is to sell products * Publicly addressed to a mass audience widespread social effect * Intended to create desire and a belief that a product will satisfy desire of consumer 1. Economic Role * Making consumers aware of products and services facilitating selling process Expand consumer demand for products Encouraging consumption and fostering economic growth * Helps new competitors enter the market = advances competition, which results in the lowering of prices that consumers pay for goods and services Effects on Consumer Choice * Differentiation * Brand Loyalty Effects on Competition * Barriers to entry * Economies of scale Effects on product costs and prices * Advertising as an expense that increases the cost of products * Increased differentiation 2. Information Role * Commercial Speech must * Presents information to help consumers make decisions regarding the purchase of products and services * Ads tells us what is new, available, where, when and the price * Tell us about a products (alleged) quality and specifications 3. Entertainment Role * Ads have become an intrinsic part of modern society * Although we may condemn its objectives, as an aesthetic experience we enjoy ads in the same way we enjoy...
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...Abstract This essay employs a visual analysis to compare and contrast Andy Warhol’s ‘Blue Marilyn’ with Roy Lichtenstein’s ‘In the Car’ in association to the postmodernist theme of Consumer Culture and more explicitly, the introduction of Pop Art, born from post-war consumerist societies. The argument refers to eight scholarly research sources, three of which are scholarly journal articles. POSTMODERNITY AND CONSUMERISM: WIT, INVENTION AND THE AFTERMATH OF WAR Research Statement: Using a visual analysis, compare and contrast Andy Warhol’s Blue Marilyn with Roy Lichtenstein’s In the Car in association to the postmodernist theme of Consumer culture and more explicitly the introduction of Pop Art; born through post-war materialisation. The Postmodernist Cannon of the latter twentieth and twenty-first Century Art is a crucial anthology, signifying radical and innovative movements that differentiated from Modernist art practices. It signifies a period of time whereby practitioners sought to contradict the rebellious experimentational aspects of Modernist art through re-visioning and revitalising media to fit the metamorphosing culture. Incorporated within the Cannon were several movements that were heavily influenced by the rise of Consumer cultures, dictated by the post-war explosion of advertisement in the 1950’s, compelling practitioners to manipulate and transform their style in either awe of the perpetually adapting society or in rebellion towards the mass produced...
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