Consumer Society Gives People Choice - Essay Example

Running head: CONSUMER SOCIETY Consumer Society Gives People Choice Consumer Society Introduction It is increasingly clear that consumer in the modern world is exposed to a number of choices. This comes with a number of dimensions as we live in a postmodern world and attempt at building a culture of consumers being the drivers decisions and processes that manufacturers and distributors engage in society’’. Postmodernism as an age and a phenomenon have increasingly borne the greatest responsibility as far as consumerism is concerned. In the United Kingdom, for instance, a number of departmental stores have cropped up in response to consumerism (Hinchcliffe et al, 2009, pg 1). One of the escalating habits nowadays is that, with the arrival of convenience stores, people spend much of their shopping in supermarkets. On average, in the USA, most people consume 275 pounds of meat, 635 pounds of paper among others. Further, there is an average of one passenger car for two people in the US, One passenger car for about three people in Europe, and one passenger car for 49 people in the developing countries. Overall, the argument that consumer society is driven by choices or that drives choice as far as consumption of goods and services are concerned must be examined in a number of ways. These should include understanding what consumer society is all about, the features of the Consumer Society, the drivers of Consumer society as it is today ,with advertisement and phenomenon/technologies like credit card being ‘forced’ on people, so that they can purchase more and more. What is consumption, and Consumer Society? Hinchcliff et al, (2009) see consumption as a lifestyle and something that comes as a result of socialization. It is therefore, for him, a lifestyle involving people using goods and services, as the last bearers. It therefore for him the end line of ‘economic activities’ begins with assessment of the resources available and goes on through to the production stage and distribution, to the point of usage (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 20). Consumer Society, or rather Consumerism, has been viewed as an economic as well as a social structure tailored and lined on the calculated systematic creation and fostering of a desire to purchase goods and services in greater amounts and sometimes with a tinge of variety. It is a process that sows the seed of belongingness (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 20). Features of the Consumer Society The major understanding by social scientists is that consumption presents different values, attitudes and a sense of belonging (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 21). The characteristic of the consumer society can be examined in the context of the common expression that support the concept consumer society and the lifestyle that individual and collective consumers exhibit as far postmodern consumerism is concerned. For Social Scientists, a number of factors come into play as far as consumer choices go. These include income, media, goods and their nature, educational status, social expectations, peer influence among others (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 21). Some of the variables to these would perhaps be captured in the popular expressions would be like ‘everybody is a walking advertisement’. Consumer Sovereignty (Hinchcliff et al (2009) seems to contend that that from the time of the Economists Adam Smith, economics debates have always had the assumption that the centre of a sound economy is based on the final demand of goods/services; therefore, it is believed my man. Economists argue that meeting the demands involves amicably seeking to ensure that their desires are met and that they are centre of production and promotion of conspicuous buying and therefore fitting the label “these are the seduced ones of the nineteenth century” (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 32). Arguments for the Consumer Sovereignty: What are some of the causes and institutions? The basic assumption here is that the consumer in the modern world today does not operate in isolation or a vacuum, because accordingly, everyone is involved one way or the other and contributing what is now called the Consumer Society/Consumerism. He argues that to mention that one has Consumerists values/attitudes, implies that he/she exhibits insurmountable tendencies to use a lot and more, and find meaning in it as far as life satisfaction and happiness goes. In a nutshell, Consumer Society has surfaced as one of the processes that has brought about industrialization, huge markets, cultural attitudes and at large, globalization. The causes or the determinants are as follows (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 21). 1. The fact that workers have become consumers Over the years following the industrial period to today, employees of the world today have significantly become consumers. Mass consumption and Consumerism values/attitudes have become part of economic reconstruction over the years. This has meant that employers have increasing become sensitive to the wage demand of the workers, as they are also purchasers of the same producers they make and not as it used to be in the medieval time where products were mainly sold to the elitist groups and foreigners. Overall, consumers, whether workers or non-workers, have become the defining features of most capitalistic societies (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 30). The worker consumption relationship might fit into the ideas of Henry Ford. Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company and arguably the best ever paid CEO in the world, had a point when he decided to make payment high for the organization’s employees, so that even his employees could afford to buy the cars. For the sociologist Max Weber, the ‘puritan ethos’ anchors this view. The argument here is that workers and consumers are viewed through societal lens. This would for example mean that the ability of these workers to purchase more and variety enhances their positive image in society. The thrust of the argument here according to Weber is that consumerism hub on pleasure and the desire to seek fulfillment of self-seeking desire. Is paramount and that perhaps today the worker must play both of these roles (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 87). 2. Institutions of the Consumer Society This is the centrepiece of this paper. The institutions in favor of the argument that consumer society is tailored around many choices should be examined under the following lenses. a) Advertising Advertising is considered a central part of marketing and distribution of a variety of goods and by large creation of choices in a consumer society. Even though advertising is relatively new as profession, its effects beat those of religion and education in shaping public view and perception. In the United States for instance the money spent annually on advertisement, outsmarts the total public expenditure, on natural resources, higher education, police protection combined. Usually if one goes to a departmental store the goods he sees are in fact even displayed they then often correlate them to adverts they have seen (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 41). So why is advertisement so crucial in promoting the ‘Consumer Society’? Ackerman et al construct as perceived by economists that the spring of data about services/goods that are in the market. Beyond this, it is important in appealing to people’s distinct values, emotions, desires, fantasies as well as their needs touching on practical reality. The centrality is that they are selling the joys of buying, upholding the idea that purchasing things is, in itself, a pleasing mania (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 42). b) Credit Consumer Because consumption in the contemporary society is a correlation to ones social status, phenomenon like Credit Card has sprung up. The argument is individuals tend to measured and valued by consumption patterns in issues like the car of car they drive, the size of houses they live in, and the jewelry they wear (Hinchcliff et al, 2009, pg 31). For those who cannot immediately afford, credit cards come in handy. Credit cards therefore are an institution that enhances the consumer society. It use implies that one can now ‘live beyond his means’. Mass production of automobile for instance has brought about greater use of the credit card. Overall, credit cards have promoted luxury consumption that defines consumer purchases today. By 2004, most households in the United States for example had a credit card. This accounted for the three quarters of the families. 3. Displacement of Public Consumption Private vis-à-vis public consumption of goods and services has changed over the years. The centrality of reason is that the motivation to sell and use new goods today determines public infrastructure, but because both private and public options are obtainable, consumer choices are increasingly enhanced (Hinchcliffe et al, 2009. pg 11). Conclusion It is easy to conclude that consumerism and Consumer Society driven by choices is a phenomenon that might not shade of in the near future. Instead, it will be continue and mutate it terms of its causality and manifestations. When social scientists talk of consumerism or the consumer society, they are in a sense referring to the expansive set of social factors that influence, propel, and maintain our tastes as well as attitude when it comes to buying or consumption of items or services. Reference List Hinchcliffe S. et al. 2009. Making Social Lives. (Attached material). Read More