Youth Consumerism: Building Authenticity through Product Consumption - Essay Example

Youth Consumerism: Building Authenti through Product Consumption BY YOU!! Your Academic Organization This paper is designed to critically assess contemporary youth, who are recognized by various professionals as building alternative lifestyles through the process of consumerism. Todays young people are inundated by a variety of media which promotes building self-identity through product consumption, while at the same time these youths are building a sense of personal satisfaction from modern consumerism. This paper argues in favour of building youth identity through consumption, offering an assortment of research to identify why this is such a commonplace occurrence with Australian youth; and worldwide. Youth Consumerism: Building Authenticity through Product Consumption Introduction A noted professional in the field of sociological research, Shane Blackman offers the pre-existing work of Miles (2000) and Bennett (2000) which somewhat refutes the idea of social subcultures, instead offering the notion of lifestyle as a term most befitting contemporary youths. These authors argue that it is todays emphasis on consumerism which is used as a medium to create alternative lifestyles with which they can use, appropriate and transform cultural commodities for their own authenticity. In essence, these authors contributions to sociology suggest that the consumption of products allows todays youths to explore methods of building self-identity, while at the same time projecting to society their uniqueness and individualism, which are two crucially-important objectives for modern youths. The notion of alternative lifestyles suggests that in the pursuit of creating an identity, young adults are utilizing a variety of available products on the market, adopting and reinventing these products to reflect their moderate rebellion against social conformity, and further finding personal satisfaction in projecting individualism and uniqueness in the path toward understanding the self. However, this complicated period of adolescence in which youths are drawn toward experimentation with alternative realities is not wholly attributable to peer influence, it can be measured by the inundation of media messages, corporate marketing, and as an inherent desire to break away from cultural norms. Each of these influences supporting the notion that todays youths utilize consumerism to build identity will be explored in detail. Subculture, Identity & Alternative Lifestyles It is important, primarily, to recognize the vast differences between the notion of sociological subcultures and that of alternative lifestyles. Henslin (2003:51) defines a subculture as a system of values and related behaviours of a sociological group that distinguish its members from the larger culture. In essence, subcultures represent a world within a world. The Australian culture is much like that of any other Westernized nation, representing various languages, values, norms, beliefs and material objects which are often passed from one generation to the next (Henslin). Subcultures, from a youth perspective, are built when these cultural commodities are redefined or rejected, granting youths an opportunity to distinguish themselves from the greater cultural belief system. Alternative lifestyles, by definition, involve approaches to living in a way that is not within the accepted cultural norms or value systems (Kamau, 2005). In many respects, these interpretations may seem to indicate that subcultures and alternative lifestyles maintain similar definitions, and thus both concepts are befitting of defining todays youth. However, the notion of alternative lifestyle versus subcultures is in their application and whether modern youth merely modifies cultural commodities to express individualism or whether this same youth group outright rejects the established cultural norm. Heaven & Tubridy (2005) offer that subcultures exist at the cultural fringe, suggesting that subcultures are typically anti-establishment and confrontational, thus they are portrayed by the mainstream media as dangerous and associated and confused with delinquency. However, this appears to be an invalid interpretation of todays youth, who are not categorized as anti-cultural, rather most youths invest their efforts in the pursuit of setting themselves apart from the identities of older generations (Heaven & Tubridy). In the search for building self-identity which segregates todays youth from the established social norms, youths are able to explore consumerism to make these distinctions, rather than resorting to social activism and cross-generational confrontation. It is through the process of product consumption, utilizing these cultural commodities to build a positive self-image (and public image), where the distinction between alternative lifestyle and that of subculture are sharply in contrast. However, why do youths try to mould themselves to act outside of established cultural norms? The answer lies in the desire for youths to build a unique identity. Morris & Maisto (2005) offer that the period of adolescence is a timeframe where youths attempt to make a rather extraordinary change from dependence on parental figures to that of dependence on oneself. This period is referred to as identity formation, where youths attempt to integrate various roles into a coherent whole that fits comfortably (Morris & Maisto, 2005: 395). When established society imposes pressure on youths to succeed, such as becoming a talented artist, politician, or any other lifestyle befitting of cultural expectations, youths often, inherently, search for unique methods to build identity, often referring to peer group relationships as a network of social and emotional support (Morris & Maisto). Where the larger society deems career opportunities and professional development to be the most prized and desired attributes to define the modern adult, youths are still searching for the distinct sense of individuality, which cannot, it would appear, be created by adopting the values of the established cultural norm. Instead, youths rely on creating a unique persona, and projecting this originality to define their place in society. It is likely that the term subculture is used to label peer group associations who, together, reflect this originality, rather than recognizing that outrageous style and attention-drawing behaviours are merely alternative perspectives on living, thus the notion of alternative lifestyle. Sadowski (2003) offers the complicated process of building a personal identity during adolescent years. The author proposes that it is during this period of development where questions such as "Who am I?" are being struggled with, often involving issues such as gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, class and gender. It is during this period of adolescence where creating a sense of individuality is a paramount objective. Bell & Lee (2006) further offer that the period in which youths change from adolescence to adulthood are wrought with stress and often creates health-related detriment, due to the somewhat commonplace adoption of smoking or other negative coping mechanisms. Weiten & Lloyd (2003:307) discuss the concept of youth moratorium, which involves delaying commitment to impending adulthood responsibilities in order to experiment with alternative ideologies in the pursuit of building self-identity. These authors argue that achieving satisfaction with this identity can be accomplished only after exploring alternative possibilities. Culture and regional society, from a rather elementary sociological perspective, dictate youth activities from education, to various forms of parental obedience expectations, to fundamental expectations about what constitutes acceptable youth attire and appearance. Youth who are inundated with these perceived social norms, today, are offering significant resistance to these norms in an attempt to distinguish themselves as authentically unique. From a psychological perspective, this suggests that todays youth are utilizing the most viable method to explore these alternative lifestyles: Consumerism and consumption of products, recognized in contemporary sociology as cultural commodities. In todays society, cultural commodities represent various clothing options, music genres, hairstyles, and gestures (Henslin, 2003). Traditionally, when youths began to transform these cultural commodities to build a unique self-identity, the concept of subculture was developed and reinforced in order to effectively label youths so as to fit within a specific youth category. Today, however, outrageous displays of creativity, created through the manipulation and redesign of consumer products, creates a unique sense of self which cannot easily be categorized as befitting any particular youth social group. In essence, the ongoing youth pursuit to build a positive self-identity creates a uniqueness, or at least perceptions of exclusivity, replacing the notion of subculture with that of alternative lifestyle. However, what actually constitutes an alternative lifestyle? Lindsay, Perlesz, Brown & McNair (2006) explores the issue of lesbian-parented families in Melbourne, offering that this type of family structure is an increasingly visible family form which is slowly being incorporated into society as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, potentially prompting some of todays youth to identify with a lifestyle that is outside of the social norm, however one that is rapidly becoming socially acceptable. Consumer products geared toward alternative lifestyles freely allows youths to explore issues of sexuality, while also allowing youths to modify pre-existing products to make a statement of originality. Cohler & Hammack (2007:47) provide an argument, specifically entailing gay youth identity, which suggests that during adolescence, connection to discourses of identity through the formation of personal narrative provide meaning to conceptions of self-development. At the same time, receipt of the label of being abnormal, in relation to social expectations regarding sexuality, provides an even stronger, internal motivation to cut through social labels and create a forward identity which satisfies the adolescent desire to be recognized as both valuable and unequivocally unique. In essence, homosexual youths are often inundated with negative messages about immoral lifestyles, thus utilizing consumer products to broadly emphasize their "gayness" assists todays youths in finding an alternative lifestyle that fits their personal expectations. Alternative lifestyles, however, should not solely be considered in relation to homosexuality, as rather outrageous attire, attitude, and physical adornment (cosmetics and beauty products) can categorize youth as breaking away from social norms and presenting themselves, publicly, as an alternative-style youth. Much of this youth activity can be witnessed in Australia today, from gothic youths to punk-rock fetishes, all utilizing various consumer products to reflect this growing youth need for independence, originality, and to authenticate these unique attributes. Media Coverage & Corporate Marketing Teens, globally, yield an extraordinary 192 billion dollars in purchasing power each year, and marketers are moving in to capture this consumer market, recognizing that individualism is a key attribute of this consumer group (Boone & Kurtz, 2007). At the same time, youths are experiencing high levels of utility when consuming a vast variety of consumer products, with utility representing a high measure of personal gratification which is received by the possession and consumption of goods and services (Boyes & Melvin, 2006). What all of this suggests is that todays companies are actively searching to relate to the youth consumer, inundating these groups with massive advertising campaigns which regularly involve creating a youth identity through the purchase of various branded goods. In many respects, it is the modern media which significantly adds to the notion of building identity through consumerism, promoting excessive product consumption as a key to finding sustained, personal contentment. Australian culture is one of Westernized values, with the country rapidly taking a dominant position in global consumerism. Building a positive youth identity through consumption, however, is not a phenomenon unique to the Australian nation. Peterson (2005) offers a rather unique perspective on the Egyptian youth consumer, suggesting that Arabic childrens magazines readily promote building youth identity as technologically-savvy, modern, and Arab cosmopolitan. Above all, the author indicates, the emphasis in Arabic regions of the globe is to emphasize Westernized beliefs and living quality existences through product consumption. It is important to illustrate the impact that consumerism maintains on not just Australian youths, but across the entire world, as even the majority of developing nations are turning toward consumerism in building youth identity. This, perhaps, indicates that the desire to build youth identity, by instilling their position as global consumers, is an inherent system of beliefs for youths across the globe. Cultural commodities, especially in Australia, represent the easiest and most viable form of self-expression for youths, as the diverse assortment of available products offer multitudes of alternative identities. Marketers realize that todays youths actively pursue building identity, thus their emphasis on promoting products allows youths to buy into various advertising messages, finding their sense of self through recognized brands. To emphasize the impact of media in modern youth consumption, Waerdahl (2005:201) offers a unique perspective in his article entitled "Maybe Ill Need a Pair of Levis Before Junior High?". In this work, it is argued that material possessions fulfil a need to symbolically communicate both categorically and self-expressively, with youths maintaining a significant concern regarding the process of finding their unique identity within peer groups. Westernized attire, from blue jeans to leather mini-skirts, and their availability in substantially diverse colours, textures, and design, allows youths to create a unique outward self, avoiding the label of follower. For some youths, product consumption represents the self-perception of leadership, by utilizing cultural commodities in a unique presentational form, offering youths a feeling of independence and segregation from established social norms. Consumerism, and the values that come along with it, are also prevalent for todays youths from the moment they are equipped to begin planning for future life events, such as establishing a career path. Gordon (2006) offers the growing trend in retail businesses to hire contemporary young people, so as to promote the wonderful opportunities that careers in retail provide. As consumption becomes such a mainstay of the cultural value system in Australia, youths are promoted to explore becoming a part of consumerism and actively pursuing a lifestyle that revolves around consumption. What this tends to illustrate is that youths are not inherently searching to utilize products to express their originality, rather it is the entire system of consumerism, from retail stores to social pressure to buy into retailing, that creates the opportunity to explore building identity through various commodities. The media maintains a significant impact on how youths utilize products to express their originality, as youths in Westernized nations would have a difficult time escaping the multitudes of messages and advertisements which are clearly visible all over the face of the Australian landscape. When one company offers youth cosmetics, as one relevant example, in a broad range of colours, textures, and quality, another moves in with a radically-different cosmetic line, utilizing packaging which illustrates happy and contented youths who are promoted as living the proverbial good life through purchasing their companys goods. This constant barrage of consumer-targeted messaging, from a rather common sense perspective, is likely a key foundation for what drives youths to experiment with building alternative identities. This can be illustrated by some rather startling statistics: According to Rotella, Gold, Andriani, Scharf & Chenoweth (2004: 52), the average Westernized 10-year-old has memorized approximately 400 different brand names, with the average primary student able to identify over 300 different company logos. The authors sum up the incredible influence that media maintains on todays youths by offering that youths sop up subliminal and not-so-subliminal (marketing) messages, leading to a generation of youths with no concept of what is truly important in life (Rotella et al). This commentary clearly suggests that the notion of the commercialized child is building a culture of youths who are misguided to believe that product consumption builds positive self identity, pushing youths to explore such a vast variety of alternative identities that these youths fail to develop a worthwhile persona that is appropriate for the transition to adulthood. Despite any negative perceptions about media influence and youth consumerism, it is clear that the idea of subcultures, when youths are able to explore radically-unique identities through a variety of cultural commodities, cannot adequately define this contemporary youth generation as a subculture. From another rather common sense perspective, one need only to walk the streets of a busy locale such as Melbourne or Sydney to witness that todays youths are often quite distinctive in their public style and image. Having a wide variety of products which are designed and promoted to express individuality amongst youths creates a more appropriate label as that of alternative lifestyle, as each and every youth is able to explore a wholly-unique persona. The notion of subcultures, then, does not befit the contemporary youth as there are likely not enough youths who adopt the same style and attitude to represent an entire community of similar young people. Youth Complexities & Mental Health Rickwood & dEspaignet (1996) offer statistics which indicate that suicide rates amongst Australian youths maintains the highest ratio of suicide rates in the entire world, while at the same time indicating that no concrete data exists in the clinical world to define what constitutes the appropriate method for building positive mental health among contemporary youths. The Australian Nursing Journal (2005) further provides that data collection on youth health and wellbeing is not given adequate priority, suggesting that mental health among youths is an under-researched social problem. It is important to illustrate that much is not known about what drives high rates of depression amongst todays Australian youths, therefore no significant studies have been conducted which identify the factors that drive youths to commit suicide. However, Rosenthal, Mallett & Myers (2006) touch on the subject of youth homelessness, offering statistical information regarding why youths tend to exit their home environments prematurely. In this article, it is cited that nearly 75 percent of all youths targeted in this particular study indicated that conflict with parental authoritarians and desire for independence were the primary justification for leaving home impulsively. Though somewhat outside of the issue of building identity through product consumption, the aforementioned statistics concretely support the notion that youths are driven by an inherent desire to break free from the cultural norms generated by their parental generation, while striving for a sense of independence. With clinical professionals indicating an extraordinary lack of data regarding how to address youth concerns, these same youths turn toward a simplistic and easily-available method to break free from these norms: Consumer lifestyle and products. It is a competent assessment, based on the literature, that with no subculture with which to identify (due to the vastness of unique youth expression), and no clinical system with which to provide guidance, youths turn toward products to find their perfect social fit and satisfy their need for independence. Conclusion This project has dealt with not only the concept of youth consumerism, but has also addressed the underlying factors behind what drives todays young people to actively utilize products as a means to express individuality. The notion of subculture versus lifestyle is most simple to explain by the ratio of youths who are currently and actively exploring means to build a unique identity, and subsequently authenticate such originality. In order for a subculture to exist, there must be enough individuals who share a common set of values and stylistic attitudes to label these groups accordingly. However, it has been established that todays youths, from a majority perspective, are actively pursuing the creation of a singular, unique identity, using the most viable medium to create this originality: Products. Through the use, appropriation, and transformation of these products, unique youth individuals are sprouting from within the established cultural norm, creating the opportunity for the label of alternative lifestyle rather than subculture. Further, the concept of subcultures appears to maintain a significantly negative connotation in the minds of todays society, with preconceived notions about delinquency and confrontation attached, however potentially false, to the label of group subcultures. Building a positive self-identity involves not only self-perception, but is likely affected by the attitudes and potential chastisement which is offered by the social majority. Therefore, for todays youths, being labelled as an alternative youth appears to have a more positive undertone than that of a deviant subculture, which is likely a more worthwhile label in terms of securing youth mental health. It would be a competent assessment that youths are not positively motivated when they are perceived as combative or anti-establishment, rather, with todays emphasis on cultural diversity (which is evident in virtually any media forum today), the opportunities provided by Westernized consumerism makes the youth classification of alternative lifestyles one that is more appealing. Despite any negative professional viewpoints regarding the impact of media and marketing on youth consumerism, it does appear that product consumption, and the unique transformation of these cultural commodities by todays youths, is a more positive outlet to explore individuality. This may explain why larger quantities of todays youth turn toward consumption as a means to raise personal satisfaction and also avoid the chastisement which may stem from utilizing more radical, potentially harmful methods to express authenticity, such as gang affiliation or drug use. By adorning a contemporary wardrobe, utilizing accessories to build an original style, and embracing a wide variety of additional consumer products, youths are able to substantiate their existence as free-thinkers and independent citizens. Perhaps without these cultural commodities, the problems associated with youth well-being would be considerably more monumental today, as youths struggle to find their unique place within society but have no outlet with which to express it. Bibliography Australian Nursing Journal. (2005). Good data is the key to childrens health. North Fitzroy. Vol. 13, Iss. 3, p.35. Bell, S. & Lee, C. (2006). Does Timing and Sequencing of Transitions to Adulthood Make a Difference? 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