Postmodernism and Consumer Culture - Essay Example

Postmodernism and Consumer Culture Name Institution Course Lecturer Date Postmodernism has various meanings an d refer to various aspects of social life, from musical forms, art, styles, mass media and the consumer culture. It expresses a stage of development in an area of interest which has significantly changed in recent times. This article will deliberate about two works of postmodernism practioners in the lens of consumer culture. The day-to-day changes in consumer behavior have brought about mass consumption as well as production. There have been drastic changes in consumer values, desires, perceptions and construction of personal identity which are tenets of consumer culture. Consumers have continuously engaged in a process of crafting consumption activity by defining new products in every stretch of life (Campbell 2005). As Todd (2011) deliberates, one of the mode through which practioners have highly expressed themselves is in films. John Berger 30-minute films and later adapted in a book “Ways of Seeing” has become a landmark of the postmodern critique. It has focused on the increasing inclination of the Western culture to aesthetic. It explores the manner in which the visual culture has dominated the society and how many ideologies are created then transmitted through images. To him, those episodes are just subjects of golden age enable by photography. The 3rd episode demonstrates a painting and how it creates consumer culture through the way it is formed. The films have delivered key images that put an impetus to the audience toward consumption. The pervasiveness of the images have led to the society acknowledged that, consumerism is the only best possible way to live in our society. Susan Scafidi photo “I shop therefore I am” supports consumerism which David Luhnow refers to as Spoiled Rich Kids. It reflects wealthy cities where rich kids go with sport cars. The guys have their hair slicked back and their shirts designed with three top buttons which remain open. Women carry expensive bags and put on sunglasses followed by SUV with bodyguards. Most of the community with the mentality of consumerism is the daughters and sons of the elite who are highly inclined to the sense of entitlement. They travel in some private jets, are untouchable and live behind walls. The social media has given them space to express and allow other folks to have similar lifestyle or mere fantasies. The photo uploaded on Facebook cause hilarious comment and that is soothing to such personalities. Susan Scafidi image The work of John Berger and Susan Scafidi compares to a great extent. Both acknowledges that consumerism increases fear and confusion to individual and groups (Todd 2011). Its appearance is not similar to reality. The society thinks that it will be fulfilled by increased products but ends up forging forward to appoint that they do not assume their own authority. According to Sunley, Pinch, Reimer & Macmillen (2008), the people are subjects to the system of consumerism. The creative inspiration of products for instance Apple products; Smartphone, iPods and laptops shows how consumerism will continue to increase fear. The degree of innovation, creativity and product differentiation has dominated the cultural industry. Davis (1992) argues that, powerful images have been the myth of recent times and generation. Images are everywhere; magazines, Internet, billboards, newspapers and TVs. The images are so compelling that audiences cannot bear to resist. They are created seductively and have ended up bringing a revolution in human communication. Oral communication has drastically declined and image communication has emerged. Campbell (2005) argues that, products developers are no longer in the business of developing the products alone. They involve the perceptions of consumers so that when a product is launched, it thrills the consumer to leave the previous technology and claim the new one. Morris (2001) on the other hand, has indicated that, consumerism has been used by the society to continue the social stratification. Products define a person status, class, taste and styles and differentiate them from the rest. The increased need to move toward fashions for distinction creates an immense fear in the consumer. Both Berger and Susan Scafidi see consumerism to be closely associated with human and environmental destruction. The tendency of human race to indulge, has led to rise of individualism and shift from need for love and peace to increased attention on self. The dominant role the society played in promoting citizenship; togetherness has been replaced by questionable individualism and privacy. The society is personalized where individual chooses their own identities and lifestyles which lead to disconnection from the social norms (Morris 2001). Many consumers have become receptive to consumer-oriented messages but left their noble duty of participating in political and social affairs. According to Soar (2002), with saturated commercial environments, produces have laid little concerns on the natural environment. As long as the social environment is well served, the natural one has little significance in the eye of both the producer and the end users. Massive disposal have increased since products are produced so fast and with little lifespan. Damping has become a modern intriguing issue in urban centre and many of the voices are not directed to its solution but to commercial communication (Morris 2001). It is hard to get the attention of producers and consumers as they are ‘walled’ in the ‘gardens of consumerism’. Sunley, Pinch, Reimer & Macmillen (2008), indicates the design of the products that is considered important in the culture. There are six elements that follows from the most preferred to the least preferred in a product. One, the product usefulness; fulfilling the context need and serving the consumer desires. Second, aesthetic is considered, product innovativeness is considered third, highly understandable or user-friendly products design is fourth, timeless products fifth and lastly products that are environmentally friendly. According to Campbell (2005), the current generation can be identified as postmodern identity seekers. Craft is the general word that shows their activities where consumers bring skills, knowledge, passion and judgment and being highly motivated by a desire of self-expression. The trend has been manifest in the notion of ‘wanting something new’ and has created development in remodeling, interior decoration, gardening, selection of clothing outfits and improving cooking. Kozinets & Handelman (2004) indicates that, the promoters of consumerism are a group of people with both the wealth and cultural capital. The speculations of such people are what highly lead to concerns by producers to respond to the rise of rising craft consumption. In contrast, Susan Scafidi refutes the notion that consumerism fulfills what it promises to fulfill for the society. Instead of bringing stability and real identification as it promises, it increases the desire to create and recreate leading to a cycle of unfulfilled desires among the people. Berger, on the other hand sees consumerism as a matter to attend to for the heart to have the fulfillment it desires. She actually agrees that unless she attends to the drive of consumerism, life will be full of question and very unstable. Berger’s point is supported in Abela (2006), who argues that, postmodern society has by itself facilitated an expansion of alternatives. The trends that shape the consumerism population have moved from the mainstream modes of consumption to provide consumers with broader range of products and opportunities leading to self-actualization. Personalized products provide special interests since it is not by itself new or independent. The attention it receives provides the consumer with unique opportunity to organize and tailor their lives. Abela (2006) further points out that consumerism are a way by which the society functions. Products are symbolic which create more than the consumers realizes. The author points out that, it is easy to conclude that products consumption leads the people to develop a sense of self in the society. It also helps the people to figure out their place in the society and a means to change the social circumstances. Berger’s film conforms to Kozinets & Handelman (2004) assertion that, consumerism provides individual with tools to forge the way forward and become what they want. People can make their own decisions and shape the way the world looks at them. Morris (2001) on the other hand, points out that; the ideas of consumerism are shallow and devoid in meaning. Consumerism leads to sense of loss, lack of real identity and sense of liberation that lead to hasty circumstances in social construction. The point is in line with Scafidi’s viewpoint that there is no real identity in consumerism as it keeps on recreating itself. The authors point is that, human beings are not defined by what they posses and look themselves in the eyes of their choices based on consumerism. In conclusion, consumer culture has prevailed by a system that is self sustaining. There are different views by different people about its role and effect to human and the environment. While some regard it as a strong point of identification and self-actualization, others disagree by pointing its shallowness due to its ever changing nature that leave human in a place of emotional exploitation. References Abela, A. V 2006, Marketing and consumerism: A response to O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy. European Journal of Marketing, 40(1/2), 5-16. Campbell, C 2005, The Craft Consumer Culture, craft and consumption in a postmodern society. Journal of Consumer Culture, 5(1), 23-42. Davis, J. F 1992, The power of images: Creating the myths of our time. Media & Values, 57, 4-6. Kozinets, R. V., & Handelman, J. M 2004, Adversaries of consumption: Consumer movements, activism, and ideology. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(3), 691-704. Morris, M 2001, Contradictions of Post-Modern Consumerism and Resistance. Studies in Political Economy, 64. Soar, M 2002, The first things first manifesto and the politics of culture jamming: Towards a cultural economy of graphic design and advertising. Cultural Studies, 16(4), 570-592. Sunley, P., Pinch, S., Reimer, S., & Macmillen, J 2008, Innovation in a creative production system: the case of design. Journal of Economic Geography, 8(5), 675-698. Todd, D 2011, You Are What You Buy: Postmodern Consumerism and the Construction of Self. Read More